


Come Through With That Magic

by reliablyimperfect



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Based on True Events, Blow Jobs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Frottage, Hand Jobs, I have no clue where their parents are in this story, Kid Fic, M/M, Major Character Injury, Nightmares, Oops, Past Injury, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-11
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:21:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 42,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25201600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reliablyimperfect/pseuds/reliablyimperfect
Summary: A fluffy summer camp AU I wrote for myself that got a bit out of hand starring Zayn's two kids, Liam, and of course Zayn, but definitely not Niall. (Somehow I forgot to include our leprechaun and had to edit him in so he'd at least get a tag).Liam goes to work at a summer camp and meets Stella, a survivor of a backyard science experiment that left her with scars all over her body. She and her less-than-enthused brother go to camp and fall in love with Liam. He helps their little family heal, in addition to other things.- OR -Yet another self-indulgent fic that I wanted to write in hopes to distracting you from these “unprecedented times.” (I’m so sick of that phrase.) Hope this finds you healthy physically and mentally, or that it helps bring you some peace if you're not.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik/Liam Payne
Comments: 17
Kudos: 41





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the result of my 14-day quarantine. I started this probably three plus years ago, and decided, what the hell, I've got nothing better to do, I'll finish it! I'm super proud of how this turned out, so enjoy, and gimme some love!
> 
> Title from Magic In The Hamptons - Social House (ft. Lil Yachty)

Chapter 1  
  
The year Liam worked at camp was the greatest summer of his life. He made so many great friends. His fellow counsellors were a lot of them, and, since he was “technically” an adult, he even befriended some of his favourite campers’ parents. He made plans with a handful of them to be their substitute babysitter when they need him, which Liam was happy about. Liam wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it without seeing, what he feels are now, “his kids” ever again.

Day one, it was a bit weird for Liam to be surrounded by girls and boys. Up until now, they’d been split into age groups and into boys and girls, but this was a new week of campers. The camp is called Camp David. He was a bit unsure about how it would go. He’d never been exposed to burn victims. _No._ Liam thought. They’d had a meeting about the proper language. Burn _survivors_.

Since most of the kids that came to camp were siblings, the kids weren’t required to be separated, except by age. Liam had the youngest group, from age seven to ten, which were typically the younger siblings or the kids who were recently burned. Some kids were burned so recent, their scars were still pink, not having had time to fade to the usual lighter, whiter shades the older kids had.

Liam loved the part of the job when they went to their activities. The camp had so many things to do, from rock climbing and ziplining, to swimming and arts and crafts. He loved seeing the kids overcome fears and reach goals. This group, Liam could feel, was going to be especially great.

These kids stayed for three weeks. Some left early due to homesickness or other factors, but the majority stayed the full three weeks. Just before dinner on day one, Liam met Stella. At the start, she was a bit wary, and she didn't interact with many of the other campers, but after a few hours, she warmed up to them.

The thing Liam noticed first, even knowing he would be working with kids who were burnt, was how hard the scars were to look at. And it was heartbreaking to look at Stella. She wore compression sleeves on her arms and compression shorts on her thighs. Under her tanktop, Liam could see the compression vest that he knew (from the short trainings he’d been through to prepare for some of the things he’d see) that kids with more recent burns wore. It was wrapped around her torso.

Later that week, Liam would learn they helped her scars heal properly. The scars that he could see despite the compression garments licked up her neck like the ghost of the flames that burned her. The scars mottled the skin of her jaw, with bright pink blotches as far up as her cheek. But she still smiled.

She was a fun little thing, and as the day grew to a close, Liam found Stella drifting towards him. He didn't mind at all.  
  


As Liam’s group waited in line to eat after getting settled in the unit they’d be staying in, Stella immediately sought out the older kids and ran over to a boy. She flung her arms around him and hugged him tight. However, the look on his face made Liam think that he would rather be doing anything but hugging her. Liam figured he was a boy she had a crush on, and he was too young to think past her cooties. When she had rejoined the line, Liam questioned her about it.

"Who was that?"

"My brother." She chirped with a grin thrown back to the floppy-haired boy.

"Oh," Liam paused. Now that she mentioned it, he could see the resemblance, but why did the boy react that way to her hug? Liam forgot about the strange interaction as soon as he grabbed a tray, and they moved to a table to sit down, side by side.

Stella chattered away all throughout dinner, telling Liam about her dolls at home and some of her friends. Liam couldn't help but cast his gaze over the burns that covered the lower part of her face. They were a bright pink, obviously somewhat recent.

Liam wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to ask her what happened, so he didn’t.

That night, as they were prepping for bedtime, Liam was in charge of the shower playlist, and making sure the kids were ready when their names were called for showers. As soon as he heard the familiar squeaking of the faucets turning off, he looked down to call the next name.

“Stella, you’re up for a shower!” He called back down the rows of bunks to where he knew Stella was making friendship bracelets with a group of girls. She appeared after a few moments, dragging her feet, and worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth. She hadn’t shown this much obvious nervousness since the morning she had been dropped off.

“What’s up, buttercup?” Liam asked, hoping to get her to smile. She didn’t, just worried her lip more as she fiddled with her fingers. Liam took one of her hands in his and gave her a squeeze just as the boy in the shower came out, shower shoes squeaking, with a towel wrapped firmly around him. He squeaked quickly across to the bathroom with his clothes in hand to get dressed, so the next person, Stella, could get in. Liam looked up at the girl, who still hadn’t said anything. “Lily! You’re next, love!” He called, and he saw Stella relax.

“Stella-Wella, what’s wrong?” Liam asked softly, patting the bed next to him to tell her she could sit.

“Well, um, baba told me I wouldn’t have to take showers while I was here.” She looked nervous still, as she shuffled her feet under her.

“Well you’ve got to, love. You won’t make any more friends if you’re smelly,” Liam said. Still looking for a smile, he added, “I guess that’s why you’re the only girl who talks to me. Is that it? Do I stink?” He counted it as a minor win that the assault on her bottom lip paused as the corners of her mouth twitched up.

“Nooo, Leeyum,” She sighed. “You don’t.”

“Oh, phew! Maybe I’m just too intimidating.” He chuckled. When Stella didn’t say anything else, Liam furrowed his eyebrows. “Stella, you have to shower while you’re here, love. We’ll get really sweaty at activities during the day.”

“No! Baba said I don’t have to. He even wrote it down!” She cried, drawing a couple pairs of eyes. Liam saw the beginnings of tears there, and she scrubbed at her eyes.

“Let me check your papers, then.” Liam said softly, squeezing her hand one more time before letting go to grab the binder laying on the floor. He flipped through the pages for other campers, stopping on Stella’s. He skimmed through the part about her compression garments and some kind of lotion she apparently has until he finds her hygiene page. It goes into detail about the kind of specific needs a camper has, like whether or not they need help washing their hair or brushing their teeth since some kids who come are missing limbs or fingers from more serious burns.

He skips to the shower section and sees in all caps, underlined, and even highlighted in bright yellow: STELLA ONLY TAKES BATHS. SHE CANNOT TAKE SHOWERS.

“Well, well, Stella-Wella,” Liam says as goofily as he can. “Looks like you won’t be showering. But, I can’t make the same promises about a bath.” Stella lets out a _woosh_ of air in relief, having finally been understood. “Are you okay with going last tonight? We don’t have a bath here, but there is a bath in another unit.”

Once Stella had nodded, Liam shooed her back to her friends to continue her bracelet-making. He pulled aside his wing leader, Sarah, to let her know about the slight change of plans.

“Oh! Now that you mention it, I do remember reading something about a kid not being able to shower. Yes. We already have permission from Unit 8 to come by as long as we give them a couple minutes’ heads up. Liam nodded and made sure to tell Sarah that, if she needed him to, he would walk with Stella over to Unit 8.

***

Even though he knew it wasn’t professional, Liam always had a favourite camper. This week, Stella was his favourite. He gave her the most praise during activities, and he couldn’t even feel bad about it. He had a few other campers that hung off his every word. He always attracted the younger girls, like Olivia, Nikki, and Stella who seemed to be drawn to him from day one. Olivia and Nikki hung off him in the pool, leaving him achy and sore from the extra weight, while Stella sat out of the pool and shadowed him the rest of the day. He couldn’t help but let them, not having the heart to tell them to stop.

About a week into camp, Liam was talking to Nikki while she waited to brush her teeth. She and another camper had brought up the topic of their burns, and Liam couldn’t help it.

“How did it happen?” Liam found himself asking. He immediately wanted to take back the question, but Nikki didn’t seem bothered.

“I was playing with matches. I struck one and it burned my finger. I got scared cause it hurt, so I tried to throw it away from me, but it got caught in the wind. It fell on me and caught my shirt on fire.” She told Liam. She went on to explain that it was many years ago, and she didn’t have any bad thoughts about it.

But Liam knew more. Liam had her file. Liam knew that she was bullied because of her scars, knew she failed second grade because of her disinterest in school because of the bullying. He also knew that her younger sister still had nightmares. Her younger sister, Lily, had found Nikki on fire in the backyard. Lily had only been five years old at the time, but she had the sense to call their mother. Because _something_ was wrong. Lily knew her sister wasn’t supposed to be on fire.

Nikki’s burns were centralized to her left upper arm. It made sense, with her story. She even showed Liam the burns on her ring finger from the lit match. She let him run his fingertips over the scars on her bicep. They felt like fish scales, Nikki told him, because of the material of her shirt.

That night, Liam went to bed feeling overwhelmed with the amount of pride he felt for all his kids. Burn survivors or siblings, they’ve made it through so much.

At the beginning of camp, Liam couldn’t have predicted how he’d feel about these kids. They crawled into his chest and made homes in his heart. His body literally ached when the second week of camp creeped closer.

“Stella, you think you’re gonna go down the zipline this week?” Liam asked the small girl attached to his hand. Stella was seven, barely tall enough to wrap her arms around his ribs when she hugged him. He swung their connected hands while she thought, her head cocked in concentration.

“I want to, but it’s scary!” She told him. Liam squeezed her hand softly, and she looked up at him.

“I’ll cheer you on, how about that?” Liam said. “I’ll stand down at the bottom and you can zip down to me.” Stella grinned. Her smile was wide enough to split her face, and Liam thought, _I love this kid_.

“C’mon, Stella!” Liam cheered. He watched her climb up the pole to the zipline easily, like a monkey. She sat on the platform while they attached her to the necessary clips and gadgets. Liam could see how scared she was, leaning over the edge of the platform to look at how far away the ground was.

Almost ten minutes later, Stella was still on the platform. Two kids had gone down the zipline while Stella waited, but she was stuck, scared.

Liam watched the ropes staff lower her down slowly, moving over to meet her as she touched the ground. He gathered the weeping girl in his arms, her trembling shaking Liam.

“I tried. I’m sorry. I tried.” Stella sobbed softly.

“Hey, bub,” Liam said, kneeling to be just below Stella’s eye level. “I’m so proud of you.”

“But I didn’t do it.” She sniffled.

“But you got all the way up to the top, all by yourself.” Liam told her. “Look.”

She looked up to the platform, where he was pointing, and sniffed again.

“You got all the way up there, all by yourself.” Liam squeezed her shoulders. “This just gives you something to do when you come back next year.” She nodded and curled herself against Liam’s side when they settled onto the bench to watch the other campers.

During the mid-afternoon break, Liam found his fellow counsellors, Louis and Harry, curled around each other on the couch in the staff lounge. Liam rolled his eyes but flopped down on them to get their attention. They’ve been inseparable since week two, and six weeks of camp has only strengthened their infatuation with each other.

“Hey, Li,” Harry greeted, ever the sweetest. “How has your day been?”

“Just workshop and nature studies. Nothing amazing.” Liam shrugged. “You?”

“You didn’t hear?” Harry asked, jostling Liam and Louis as he sat up.

“Hear what?”

“One of Louis’ campers, Elijah, got in a _huge_ fight yesterday.”

“What?!” Liam asked, suddenly interested. Fight weren’t common here, so this was big.

“Yeah. I’m pretty sure he’s one of your camper’s older brother. Stella?”

“Shit. He’s Stella’s older brother?”

“Yeah. He got in a fight during Athletics yesterday. Hit a kid for ‘cheating,’ even though no one says they saw him. He yelled at the kid for being mean and said some pretty nasty words for an 11-year-old, even though he’s like a foot taller than Elijah.”

“What the hell?” Liam said. “I always miss the fun stuff. That must’ve been when Niall and I took Summer to the infirmary.”

“We don’t know his full story, but he’s a really angry kid.” Harry said.

“I know he doesn’t really like his sister, Stella.” Liam confessed. “I don’t know why, she’s so sweet.”

“I think Elijah blames himself for his sister’s accident, so he lashes out.” Harry shrugged.

“How do you know? Is it in his file?”

“He talks in his sleep. Mostly ‘sorry, Stella,’ and ‘didn’t mean it’ and things like that. I heard him while I was sitting duty the other night.” Louis chimed in.

“Do you think that’s true?” Liam asked. He couldn’t help his curiosity, wondering how his sister’s accident could have been his fault.

“Who knows?” Louis said. “Can’t believe everything you hear, babe.” He patted Harry on the back.

“Wait, Lou, how does _Harry_ know more about your kids than you? You’ve had them for over a week.” Liam chuckled.

“Harry knows everything, mate. He’s all up in the gossip and drama of camp.” Liam caught Louis’ eye roll and couldn’t help but chuckle.

It was the next day that Liam really pinned down this elusive _Elijah_ kid. The boys and girls of Camp David went to the pool together every day, the only other activity they all shared outside of Athletics, but Liam had always been preoccupied with Olivia, and Nikki. Today, however, he’d spent the previous three activities preparing the girls to play in the pool without him. He was going to find someone else to play with.

Liam immediately recognised Elijah sitting near the side by himself. Liam swam up next to the boy.

“Wanna play catch?” Liam asked. The first good look that Liam got at Elijah’s face was then. His face, previously blank and expressionless, lit up.

“Yeah, but not football. I can’t throw those,” He said shamelessly.

“Deal, kiddo.”

They threw a ball back and forth in silence for a bit. Liam watched Elijah watch the ball closely. He fumbled the ball a few times, but not often. Liam made sure to a few times, too, dramatically juggling it in the air a few times before it eventually splashed down out of Liam’s grasp.

“How are you liking camp?” Liam asked. Elijah just shrugged his shoulders. “It’s your first year, right? Mine, too. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about being away from home so long, but I’m making some great friends, so it’s not all bad.”

“I really like Athletics,” Elijah said softly as he passed the ball back to Liam. “When the kids aren’t being mean, at least.”

“What do you mean? Who was being mean?”

“Sam.”

“Sam from the older group?” He nodded. “What did he say?”

“I can’t remember.” It was a blatant lie, but Liam decided to let it go.

“Alright, but you can tell me if anyone is mean to you again, you know? Or any of the other counsellors.” Elijah nodded. Liam, wanting to defuse some tension, threw the ball low and pegged him in the chest. It was a soft throw, so he knew the boy wasn’t hurt.

“Hey!” Elijah barked. “You did that on purpose!” He dropped the ball he had fumbled to catch and pushed forward in the water to launch himself at Liam, who caught him easily.

“You got me!” Liam collapsed into the water dramatically, taking a giggling Elijah under the water with him. He popped back up quickly, still holding onto the boy, with a grin.

Liam was surprised that someone commented on it.

“Hey, Li. I saw you made a new friend at the pool today,” Louis found Liam reading a book in the dining hall after the kids went to bed that night.

“Elijah is super fun.” Liam shrugged. “I’ll probably hang out with him tomorrow, too.”

“I don’t think I’d seen him smile before yesterday. Unless you count grins when he pegged a kid with a ball in Athletics a couple days ago.” They both chuckled.

“He’s good at throwing and catching. It’s not a shock that he’s good in Athletics.”

“I just wish he weren’t so angry all the time. He got in another fight again today.” Louis sighed.

“With who?”

“One of the older boys.”

“Was it Sam?”

“Yeah, I think it was, but there were two of them, and I’m not sure who the other kid was.”

“While we were playing catch in the pool, he told me that Sam was being mean in Athletics the other day. I think he lied when he said that Sam was cheating.”

“Then why did he get in a fight?”

“I’m not sure, but when we go to Athletics tomorrow, I’m gonna hang around Elijah and see if Sam bothers him.”

***

Liam began to worry about Elijah at breakfast.

He had come over to Liam without a word and sat down next to him to eat. He looked exhausted, but Liam could tell from his demeanor that he didn’t want to talk. Liam just ruffled his hair and patted him on the shoulder.

When Liam saw movement out of the corner of his eyes about two minutes later, he looked up. It was Stella. She glanced at her brother and grinned, skipping over to sit next to him. By the time she got around the table though, someone else had taken the seat next to Elijah.

“Stella, you can sit across from me,” Liam offered to keep the smile on her face. She grinned back and shuffled to the other side of the table to sit down.

Liam couldn’t hear the boy who had sat next to Elijah, but he could hear Elijah mumbling under his breath occasionally. He didn’t seem like he wanted to talk, but this kid obviously wasn’t getting the hint.

“Shut up,” Liam finally understood Elijah.

“Hey, everything okay?” Liam asked the two boys.

“All good, yeah,” The other boy said. He had sandy-blonde hair and a goofy grin. Liam nodded.

The boys continued murmuring to each other, but their voices were softer. It wasn’t even five minutes later that Elijah was forcing his chair back with a piercing whine that drew the attention of the tables around them. He stood forcefully from his seat and stormed off, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his shorts. Liam looked around in bewilderment, quickly consoling an increasingly upset Stella, before he went after the boy.

Liam found him just outside, thankfully, allowing his rapidly beating heart to slow, and pulled the boy into a firm hug. He could feel Elijah shaking, but said nothing. It took a few minutes until Liam recognised the shuddering breaths and hiccupping sobs that were disconcertingly quiet as crying.

“Elijah?” Liam said softly. The hand that was previously rubbing the boy’s back reached up to tangle in his dark floppy hair. He pulled back to look at Elijah and saw his eyes swimming with unshed tears. “What happened?”

Elijah just shook his head, and Liam couldn’t tear his eyes away from Elijah’s, the tears there making his eyes appear more hazel than his usual milky-chocolate brown. He recognised them from Stella, who Liam had spent most of the past week plus with. He couldn’t help but wonder which of their parents they get that striking eye colour from.

“Can I do anything?” Liam asked softly, still holding Elijah.

“I wanna go home.” Elijah’s voice cracked in the middle, and he let out a sob at the end, jolting Liam’s body with the force of it.

“C’mon, now. I know you’ve had some fun here. Plus, what would I do without my pool buddy?” Liam steers quickly around the confession, hoping to keep the boy from going down that route. It wasn’t unheard of for a kid to go home early, but it was typically the younger kids who were painfully homesick that were allowed to leave early.

“Would it help if you were able to talk to your mum? Dad? Anyone?” Liam asked. Elijah had calmed down a bit in the time between Liam’s inquisition about his water-time catch partner.

“I -,” Elijah broke off abruptly, then shook his head. “No. This is fine.”

Liam nodded into the boy’s hair, letting him know that he wasn’t going anywhere, and they could stay as long as Elijah needed.

It was probably about ten or fifteen minutes later when they went back in to finish their breakfast. Stella, ever the distraction, immediately launched into a story about what they missed while they were gone, not missing a beat even though Liam saw her eyes flicker over to her brother a few times during her reenactment.

Liam worried about Elijah throughout the rest of the day until pool time. He was happy to have two activities, with Pool and Athletics only a short break apart, to be able to keep an eye on the boy. Elijah seemed much happier, but still a bit subdued during their normal game of catch in the pool. It gradually expanded to include nearly a third of the staff and campers, all jumping over each other the catch the ball and additional footballs that soared through the air. Every time Liam got the ball, however, he made sure to throw it right to Elijah, seeing the pull of his lips whenever he caught it and threw it back.

He felt bad wiping the smile off Elijah’s face when he caught up to him after he’d dried off and pulled his shirt back on, informing him that he had been requested by Stella to sit out with her tomorrow. Elijah simply nodded and quietly asked if he could sit next to Liam again at dinner that night.

Dinner was uneventful in the sense that no one cried, there were no fights, or even yelling (apart from the overly enthusiastic shrieks that came when the kids are told that ‘its carnival night’, and to ‘get ready to eat all the cotton candy and snow cones you could want’).

Stella came up to Liam at the end of dinner to ask if him would help her play some games at the carnival, and Liam’s heart broke when he had to tell her it was his night off, so that he wouldn’t be there. She pouted but told him to have fun before he ducked out of the dining hall to shower before the kids got back to the unit.

He finished quickly and had time to spray a bit of cologne before he got a text from Louis and Harry saying they would meet him at Louis’ car after he signed out. Liam hustled across camp to dutifully record that he was leaving camp before he climbed into the back of the car.

After a short squabble of where to go, they, of course, ended up at the river with two twelve packs of beers to share between the three of them. It only took about five drinks before they were stripping out down to their boxers and jumping into the river for a quick swim in the dwindling light. Liam was able to forget about Elijah for a while and basked in the aching of his cheeks after a childish splash-fight which ended with Louis pressing Liam’s head under the water for a couple seconds. They spilt the remaining drinks between themselves and took turns swinging into the water with a crude-but-fun rope swing that hung from a tree until they were exhausted. They floated quietly for a while as the sun fully set.

When night had fallen, and Harry and Louis had gotten distracted with each other’s mouths, Liam crawled out of the water to dry off a bit and give them a bit of privacy. He didn’t really like the gritty feeling that clung to his skin as he began to dry, but knew he wouldn’t want to, much less have the time or energy to shower when they got back to camp.

Harry and Louis appeared a few minutes later, disheveled and smiling, but Liam made no comment as they shook themselves off and plopped down on the bench next to Liam to dry off and sober up a bit before going back to camp.

When they got back and signed in, still slightly buzzed, but decidedly steadier on their feet, Liam grabbed a glass of water in the dining hall before dragging his feet back to his unit. He scanned his eyes over Stella’s, Nikki’s, and Olivia’s bunks as he walked past, simply changing into a more comfortable pair of shorts before he collapsed into bed.

***

When Liam’s alarm woke him up the next morning, he was still a bit foggy from the beers, but knew that he’d sober up after moving around and eating some breakfast. He and the other counsellors moved around quietly, dressing, brushing teeth, and fixing hair. Their routines down nearly perfectly this far into camp, they started rousing the kids from their beds a few at a time so they could stagger them in the bathrooms.

Liam was unsure of _when_ it had happened, but it was an unspoken agreement that he got to wake up Stella. He shuffled his bare feet over to the bed right next to his and stood on his toes to brush the hair out of her face on the top bunk. Liam’s eyes wandered to the compression wrap around her chin that she wore at night.

“Stella-Wella,” Liam whispered softly, rubbing her shoulder, soft but firm. She snuffled her face into the pillow for a moment or two, something Liam had come to find utterly adorable. She did it every morning, and it never failed to put a smile on Liam’s face. “If you don’t wake up, I can’t play with you at the pool.” He reminded softly. She immediately popped her eyes open, and Liam chuckled softly, pushing the hair out of her face again as she struggled against the skin-tight garment to yawn. As soon as she closed her mouth, she unlatched the Velcro and pulled it off her head.

“Can we sit by the pool and make bracelets?” She asked, voice quiet, but leaking with excitement.

“Well only if you get out of bed, silly! You know I’m always up for making bracelets.”

Stella was out of bed and hurrying to brush her teeth before Liam could blink. He chuckled again, moving onto the next kid.

***

“Can I have the purple please?” Stella asked politely.

“Of course!” Liam grinned, passing the thread to her. It was slightly damp from the ground, but Stella didn’t seem to mind. “You know, purple is my favourite colour.”

“I do know! You’ve told me!” Stella chirped. She picked up the scissors carefully and snipped off the length she needed, along with pink and black.

They worked together in silence. Liam carefully knotting his string to make an anklet for Destiny, who had batted her eyelashes a bit too long, but Liam smiled and said he’d love to make her one. He had finished about half of his slightly-more-intricate pattern when Stella tapped on his arm. She waited until he had finished the row and put his project down to present him the bracelet she had been working on.

It wasn’t the best made bracelet he had been gifted this summer, a bit wonky and tight in some places and loose in others, but he glanced up at Stella, who had her bottom lip caught between her teeth just like all those nights ago about not taking a shower, and he couldn’t help the way his heart ached with love for this sweet girl. Liam grinned and took it carefully.

“Is this for me?” He asked. Stella nodded and Liam pulled her into a hug. “Thanks, Stella-Wella. Will you tie it on?” She nodded again, this time with a grin as she took it back and wrapped it around the wrist Liam presented, struggling a bit with the knot, but getting it tight enough after a couple of tries.

“The purple is ‘cause it’s _your_ favourite colour. The pink is _my_ favourite color. And the black is the colour of Baba’s hair.” Liam had no idea who ‘Baba’ was, remembering the stuffed animal perched on her bed’s name was Mr. Snuffles, but he smiled wider at the thought she had put in it, thanking her enthusiastically.

Liam knew he’d swipe the clear nail polish from Harry that night to reinforce the knot so it would never come off. He hugged Stella again before she could see the tears that Liam suddenly had burning at the corners of his eyes. He silently scoffed at himself as he thought _it’s just a bracelet. I’ve gotten fancier bracelets than this before._ But Liam knew it wasn’t a matter of _how_ it was made, but _who_ had made it that caused his eyes to get a bit misty.

Stella, as unaware as a seven-year-old could be, pulled away from the hug and told Liam that she was going to walk around the pool to stretch her legs. Liam nodded and told her he’d pop by the toilets and join her again when he was back. He couldn’t help but ruffle her hair as he walked past, chuckling softly at her giggles.

Liam glanced around the pool for Stella as he came out of the loo, finding her bright green shirt almost instantly and slowly making his way over so as not to piss off the lifeguards. They had a _strict_ walking ONLY policy, and their whistle’s shrill cry echoed through the air at least half a dozen times every activity simply because of over eager kids getting a bit too fast on the slippery concrete.

Liam was across the pool from Stella when he saw that she was talking to the boy who had sat by Elijah at breakfast the other morning. His sandy blonde hair was a bit darker from the water, but still unmistakable. He was talking to Stella and, as Liam rounded the corner to walk toward her, he caught a snippet of their conversation.

“-should come in. Play with us.” The boy was saying. Stella shuffled her bare feet but shook her head.

“I can’t.”

“C’mon. It’s not that deep. You don’t even need to be able to swim here.”

“No, I don’t want to,” She said. Liam was familiar enough with her mannerisms that he could see she was uncomfortable. Out of habit, his eyes flicked over the bodies in the pool to find Elijah, who Liam was shocked to find was staring intently at his sister. He was stock-still in the pool, watching the exchange. 

“You’re so boring,” The boy groaned. “The water isn’t cold if that’s what you’re worried about. Here, feel.”

It happened in less than three seconds, but those three seconds felt like a lifetime for Liam. He watched the boy pull a water gun from under water, one of those long, syringe-like ones that stung your skin a bit if you were too close. It was already full of water, and Stella had no hope of getting away.

Again, Liam’s eyes darted to Elijah, who looked terrified, and, Liam’s thought of _oh this boy might have a slight crush on Stella, but he’s a bit too old for her_ that explained the light-haired boy’s interested in Stella flew from his mind as the boy pushed on the plunger, and the first scream ripped itself from Stella’s throat.

The entire pool grew deathly silent, but Liam could only hear the pounding of his heartbeat as he watched the steady, but forceful stream of water make contact with Stella. After the first scream echoed around the camp, Stella collapsed, rocking side to side while on her back. She was screaming, softer now, and whimpering intermittently, hands tight around her body before Liam kicked himself into gear.

He had half a mind to pull off his shirt and drape it over the sobbing girl as he picked her up and threw open the gate to find somewhere quiet to help her settle down. He murmured nonsense in her ear and shuffled immediately to the infirmary across the path from the pool, wincing at the blast of AC on his sun-warmed skin when he walked in. He asked for a blanket and a quiet room in between soft assurances in Stella’s ear, who still hadn’t stopped crying in his arms.

The wide-eyed nurse that showed him to a bed left two blankets that he immediately wrapped around him and Stella to keep her warm since she was soaked to the skin.

Wrapped in the blanket, and in the quiet environment, Stella’s cries quieted considerably. Liam’s ears picked up a commotion outside, but he tuned it out as he leaned back on the bed and started singing softly to help calm Stella’s rapidly beating heart. Eventually, she went completely still. Liam chanced a glance down at her to find her eyes closed and fists clenched, even in sleep, with terror.

It was about an hour later that Liam’s team leader came into the room with him. He had texted him after Stella had fallen asleep to let him know where they ended up. Nick shifted the partition back to reveal Liam and Stella, still in the same position as before.

“How is she?” Nick spoke quietly.

“She fell asleep after a bit. Been asleep since.” Liam whispered back. “Sorry I’m not with the kids.” Liam did feel bad about just walking out of the pool earlier, but what was he supposed to do?

“It’s okay, mate. From what I’ve heard, it was good that you were the one to take over. She likes you.” Nick was quiet for a bit, thinking, before he spoke again. “Cowell said that she could call home if she wants to when she wakes up. It’d be best to hear what happened now versus when she gets picked up in a week.”

“I think she’d like that, yeah,” Liam said. Simon Cowell was the stern-faced man that ran the whole camp. Liam had seen him around the dining hall during the last few weeks, but he knew he lived just down the road from camp and frequently visited. Cowell’s intimidating demeanor faded quickly around kids, as Liam had come to learn, always throwing smiles and greetings at the kids.

“Well, just text me when she wakes up, and I’ll sit down with you to call her dad.”

“Me? I’m calling dad?” Liam asked, suddenly nervous.

“I’ll set it up and explain there was a situation, but yeah. Since Stella seems the most comfortable with you, I really do think you should be there in case she can’t explain what happened.” Liam simply nodded.

It wasn’t more than fifteen minutes later that Stella woke up, once again snuffling into Liam’s chest since there was no pillow. She seemed to notice that she wasn’t waking up in bed, and Liam quietly told her where she was, so she’d be more at ease waking up in a strange place.

“Leeyum?” Stella slurred, stretching softly as she woke up a bit more. Liam shot a simple ‘She’s awake’ to Nick while he smoothed a hand up and down her back.

“Hey, Stella-Wella,” Liam said. “How do you feel?” Stella seemed confused by the question before she pushed herself up on Liam’s chest and took in her surroundings. Liam knew she knew where she was, needing to come in every night to smear lotion over her still-healing scars, but he figured she wouldn’t remember how she got here, considering the state she was in when they settled onto the bed.

“Tired,” Stella finally settled on after a long pause. “What…Leeyum, what happened?” She frowned.

“A kid at the pool sprayed you with a water gun, and I think it scared you a bit,” Liam relayed the short, less traumatic version of the story. When Stella didn’t say anything, Liam dragged a hand back up her slightly damp shirt.

“Nick, – you remember Nick, yeah?” Liam asked after a few minutes of silence. She nodded. “Nick said you could call home if you wanted to talk to someone.” Stella immediately bobbed her head up and down.

Five minutes after Nick showed up, they had an iPad propped up on a table in the small room they were in, all gathered around it at the line trilled, waiting to connect. Nick had explained to Stella that he needed to explain the situation first, then she could talk.

The line connected after three rings, and Liam saw a blur of dark hair and heard some rather loud shuffling as the person on the other end got situated.

“Mmm, ‘ello?” A voice drifted through the speakers before Liam could see the face, and Liam had several thoughts flash through his mind as he filed away the voice in his mind like _he sounds young_ and _Stella and Elijah never told me they have an older brother_ and _holy shit he’s fit_ as his face finally settled in screen.

“Hi, Mr. Malik, this is Nick at Camp David again,” Nick greeted professionally. _Again?_ Liam thought, then remembered Elijah’s conduct throughout camp and figured they’d had to talk about that as well.

“Hey, how’s Eli?” _Mr. Malik_ asked. Liam nearly scoffed, thinking the kid on screen didn’t look much older than himself.

“The same as earlier. I’m actually here with Stella. She had a bit of a rough day and we thought it’d be best that she get to talk with you.” Liam could see worry immediately wash over the boy’s face on screen. He tuned out what Nick was saying, only half listening as he touched over the events of the day. Liam became distracted by the boy on screen, who was chewing on his bottom lip, a perfect mirror image of Stella. It made something in his chest ache.

“Here, she’s right here,” Nick’s hand settled on Stella’s back, jostling Liam where she was pressed into his chest still, even sitting up. They were just off screen, but Liam encouraged Stella to shuffle in front of the camera while he stood.

“I’ll be right outside with Nick, love,” Liam said softly, still aware of Stella’s fit brother on the screen.

“No!” Stella exclaimed. The loud sound, after the quiet few hours, made Liam jump, but he was less embarrassed when he noticed the boy on screen did, too. “Stay, please.” Her voice was softer, and she reached out a hand for his, which he took easily, letting her pull him back onto the bed.

His eyes met the ones on screen for a moment, quiet as he let the two start a conversation between the two of them.

“Hey, Stella bug,” The boy grinned sadly. “Nick told me you had a pretty big day, yeah?” Liam knew Nick had already told the whole story, but he seemed to be waiting for Stella to say something. “Can we talk about it?”

“Was scary.” Stella whispered. She didn’t look at the iPad, instead focusing on Liam’s bracelets which she began playing with. “Cold.”

“The water was cold?” He clarified. Stella nodded. She was quiet for so long, the boy seemed to figure out he wasn’t going to get much more out of her. Instead, he shifted his focus to the other person there. “Stella, who’s your friend?”

“This ‘s Leeyum!” Stella had a small smile on her face when she pulled Liam’s hand up to wave for him.

“Well, hi, _Leeyum_.” Liam couldn’t help but focus on the way the boy said his name, wrapping his tongue around the syllables almost inappropriately.

“Leeyum, this is Baba!” Stella said, perking up a bit as she introduced them. The boy – _Baba_ … _what an interesting name_ Liam thought – chuckled. The rush of _the black is the colour of Baba’s hair_ from earlier came back to Liam, and he focused on the screen to confirm that, indeed, his hair was black, just like the bracelet.

“My name isn’t really Baba, bug. I’m Zayn.” _Zayn_. Liam wrapped his tongue around the name in his head. “I’m her dad. Well her Baba, but it’s the same thing.” Liam couldn’t help his reaction when he heard those words.

“Dad? You’re, like, thirty.” Liam sputtered. He immediately cringed. “Sorry.”

“No, you’re fine. I’m actually twenty-nine, but who’s counting?”

He talked about camp with Stella for a bit longer before she excused herself, as polite as ever, to go to the toilet. That left Liam alone with her unfairly fit dad – _baba_ – Liam corrected himself without knowing what it meant. He didn’t feel like embarrassing himself with his lack of education by asking.

“Hey, Liam?” Zayn called, breaking into his thoughts. Liam made eye contact with the boy on the screen in lieu of a response. “How is she doing really?”

“She really is doing great,” Liam said, relieved that it was an easy topic. “She’s made lots of friends and she’s so very sweet. This has been the first real bump for her.”

Zayn let out a sigh of relief, quiet for a moment until Liam broke the silence, unable to contain his curiosity.

“Tell me if I’m being inappropriate, but why did Stella react like that to the water? Do you know?” Zayn sighed again, and Liam opened his mouth to apologise and take it back when Zayn started talking.

“The day of the accident, I had to put the fire out with our garden hose. I think it’s just the water coming at her that makes her think about the hose, and it freaks her out. She can’t even take a shower without going into a panic attack,” Zayn admitted quickly. Liam’s mouth fell open, of course, not having thought the aversion to showers was anything other than a personal preference.

“Oh my god,” Liam breathed. “You were with her when it…” He trailed off, unsure of where he was going.

“Yeah. Eli, Stella, and I were all in the backyard. It was…intense.”

“Zayn, I-”

“It’s okay, yeah? Well, it isn’t _okay_ , but it’s handled.” Zayn’s voice was firm, like he’s trying to convince himself rather than Liam. “I just can’t help but worry about them, you know?”

“You have every right to worry, Zayn. But I do want you to know that they’re both great kids. Stella is just _so_ sweet. She had everyone wrapped around her finger by day two. And Elijah, he’s so kindhearted. They’re both amazing.”

“Thank you.”

“I wish I could do more to help you sleep easier. But apart from a text or picture updates, I don’t really know what else to do.” Liam chuckled.

“Yeah, that’d be good.” Liam nearly choked. He hadn’t been looking to get Zayn’s number, _okay not intentionally_ , but now that it was a possibility, he wasn’t going to turn it down.

They exchanged numbers and Liam sent a simple _It’s Leeyum! :)_ to which he was able to see Zayn’s answering grin on the screen right as Stella came back.

“I’m hungry,” Stella said without a greeting.

“Well then it’s a good thing its snack-time, yeah, Stella-Wella?” Liam chuckled. “You want to talk to your dad before we go?”

“I gotta go! It’s time for food!” Stella exclaimed, seemingly unaffected by this afternoon’s events any longer.

“Alright, bug. Tell your brother hi for me. I love you.”

“Love you, too, Baba,” Stella called softly just before before the screen went still, Zayn’s smile frozen on the screen until the iPad went to sleep.

After hanging up with Zayn, Liam led Stella back to the unit so she could change into some clothes that were dry. She’d started to complain of being a bit cold, even though they were outside. They met up with the rest of the group there, thankfully no one making a huge deal about Stella’s absence. Instead, once Stella was changed and settled, the girls she typically made bracelets with pulled Liam into their group and ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ over the bracelet Stella had made him.

It wasn’t long, maybe only ten or fifteen minutes, before they were shuffling around, waking up a couple of the kids who’d fallen asleep, getting ready to head out for a snack.

Snack ended up being individual packets of goldfish, orange slices, and juice. Liam took two of each, and ate them quickly, starving as always. The portions here felt like literal rations. They only had about ten minutes before their next activity started, so the counsellors encouraged the kids to eat as they walked so they wouldn’t be late.

Liam always liked Athletics, getting to play games with his kids never failed to cheer him up, especially after such a strange day. Once the large group had settled and gone over the rules, just like always, they announced the game they were playing. Liam had already known that they would be playing Steal the Treasure, familiar with the way half the staff had set it up while the other two had reiterated the rules.

The object of the game was simple: all one team had to do was collect all the “treasure” from the opposite team’s basket at one end of the gym and bring it to their own at the other end. However, you could only pick up one object at a time, and if you were tagged, you had to go back and drop the item you were holding if you’d gotten one. It was ridiculously fun to play, and it was a big hit with the older group, the boys especially. They’d played a game geared toward the younger kids yesterday, so it was only fair the big kids got to have some fun.

It was a huge mass of bodies contained in such a small area as the teams were split and they waited for the game to start. Liam had gotten a pretty good group, several of the older boys on his team that Liam knew took the games maybe a _bit_ too seriously, but made up for it with never-ending patience when the younger kids bent the rules a bit from a simple lack of understanding.

Sean, who was one of the more strikingly scarred kids at camp with burns that covered his head, arms, torso, and half a leg and left his head completely hair free, was on Liam’s team. He was probably the sweetest boy at camp, and Liam was bummed to learn this was his last year at camp, aging out at sixteen. He was missing all his fingers, only short stumps where they should be, and he had to either hold the “treasures” with both hands, or press them against his body as he ran, but Liam never saw the kid without a smile.

Liam watched Sean pause at the other team’s treasure basket with Stella, seeming to give her pointers about which item to grab before he grabbed his own and they both dashed back. From his vantage point at the opposite end of the gym, Liam saw a kid on the other team gaining quickly against Stella’s shorter legs. Sean slowed his run to fall behind and motioned to the boy to tag him instead of the small girl, allowing her to run off with the prize to her delight. Liam grinned and gave Stella a high-five as she dropped it into the basket. He met Sean’s eyes while he was walking back to their end, smiling softly at the boy with thanks.

Needing to get his head in the game, Liam took off with a large group of kids from his team, eager to get their hands on more treasure. As Liam waited his turn to grab a toy from the basket, he noticed Elijah standing nearby, waiting for an opening to run after someone who stole from them. The sandy-haired kid was standing next to him, looking like he was doing the exact same thing, but Liam could see his mouth moving.

Unable to help himself, Liam inconspicuously moved a bit closer to hear his words, now knowing that he _was_ the infamous Sam that had apparently been mean to Elijah that first week of camp. He had recently confirmed his suspicion with Louis only during snack time, exceedingly curious after the boy had caused Stella’s panic attack.

Still a few meters away from the boys, but within range to hear their conversation, Liam kept his focus towards the game as the boy’s voice hit his ears.

“– she’s a _crybaby_.” Liam only had a second of confusion to think _who’s a crybaby_ before there was a sharp _crack_ and a yelp from behind him. When he turned around, Elijah was on top of Sam, hitting him and yelling nonsense at the boy.

Quick to react, Liam closed the distance and hauled Elijah off the older boy, seeing blood on Sam’s face, staining his shirt. Without so much as a pause, Liam pulled Elijah just outside the gym, blocking the door just in case he wanted to finish what he started. However, Elijah simply buried his hands in his hair and paced back and forth, chest heaving.

“Hey,” Liam called. “Come here.” He sat down on the pavement and beckoned Elijah to sit next to him, but the boy just shook his head quickly and kept pacing. Liam just sighed but gave him a bit of time to calm down.

It was probably five or so minutes later that Elijah stopped pacing, but raked his hands through his hair, and Liam noticed he was mumbling to himself. So, he tried again, coaxing the boy to sit. He counted it as an achievement when Elijah sat down, but he looked numb.

“I need you to tell me what that was about,” Liam said carefully.

“He cheated.” Came the blatant lie that Liam had been expecting.

“I know he wasn’t cheating, Elijah. You were both just standing there,” Liam said with no room for argument.

Elijah didn’t say anything, just shrugged and let out a harsh breath. Liam tentatively put his arm around the boy’s shoulder to ground him a bit before he breached the topic that he really needed to discuss.

“Who was he calling a crybaby?” Liam asked softly.

“Stella.” It was the last possible thing that Liam had been expecting to hear.

“What? Why was he calling Stella a crybaby?”

“Because she freaked out at the pool. Sam said he was going to peg her with one of the footballs, but he thought spraying her with water would be funnier since she didn’t have on a bathing suit.”

“Wait. Has Sam said things like that before?” Elijah nodded. Liam could feel a few puzzle pieces coming together, making Elijah’s hostile reactions toward the boy make a bit more sense. They weren’t warranted, he knew, but they made a bit more sense than ‘he cheated.’

“C’mon.” Liam said, he nudged the boy onto his feet, making sure he was following as he sent a quick text to Nick to meet them on the other side of the gym.

Two minutes later, Elijah, Liam, and Nick were standing outside the gym, and Liam nudged the boy softly.

“Tell Nick what you told me,” Liam prompted. Elijah shook his head, face flushed with embarrassment. Liam locked eyes with Nick.

“Elijah, you can tell me, bud,” Nick coaxed. “It’s okay.”

After Elijah had relayed the story about Sam to Nick, Liam chiming in with the snippet he’d heard in the gym to corroborate his words, Nick whipped out his phone to text someone and stepped away with a promise to be right back.

“Do you think I’m going to be sent home?” Elijah asked quietly after they’d been standing silently for a couple minutes.

“Why?” Liam cocked his head, unsure which answer the boy was looking for.

“Because I hit Sam again. Baba told me that I’d be in big trouble if I didn’t behave. I don’t wanna go home.”

“I think that if you told your dad what happened, and that you were just standing up for Stella, that he’d understand _why_ you did it. I’m not saying you won’t be in trouble, because you did hit him, buddy, and I know you know that you shouldn’t’ve done that, but I think it’ll be okay.” Elijah leaned into Liam’s side, and nodded.

Elijah was saved from replying when Nick walked back around the corner, a frown on his face. Liam could feel Elijah tense, probably fearing that he would be kicked out. Liam rubbed his arm comfortingly but stayed quiet.

“I just had an interesting talk with Sam,” Nick said. Liam furrowed his eyebrows. Nick’s face gave nothing away, and Liam had a flash of fear that Sam had thrown Elijah under the bus as revenge for hitting him. “Elijah, why didn’t you say anything about how Sam has been acting? We don’t tolerate any kind of bullying here.” Elijah shrugged.

“What happened?” He asked instead of answering Nick’s question.

“Well, he fessed up to saying those things about your sister, so now he is packing up his stuff and he will be going home as soon as his parents get here. But I don’t want you to worry. He won’t be joining any more activities, and he won’t bother you or your sister again.” Liam felt his chest ease, not ready for Elijah to go home. The boy in question, at Nick’s profession, looked up at Liam and smiled. It slowly grew wider as Liam’s grin answered his.

“Thank you,” Elijah said softly.

Later that night, during the movie that had been prepared for the group to watch as a night acctivity, Nick pulled Liam aside, a bit flustered.

“Liam, can you help with another wing tonight? I’ve got two staff on their night out and one sick in the infirmary with only one to look after kids for showers and bedtime.”

“Of course, mate. Which wing?”

“Louis’. It’s the middle-aged kids, but I figured you’re the best all around, so I’d ask you first.” Liam, flustered with the compliment, coughed a bit in shock.

“For sure.”

“And I hate to spring this on you last minute, but could you also split night duty with Louis?” Liam chuckled, but nodded, earning a clap on the back and an enthusiastic “Thanks!” from Nick as he walked off to deal with another crisis. Liam didn’t envy Nick. His job seemed tough, with too many decisions and not enough time with the kids that make all the drama worth it.

After the movie, Liam sidled up to Louis and let him round up all the kids, accepting the smile of thanks his friend flashed as he ordered Liam to start slowly making his way back to the wing. Liam knew Elijah was somewhere in the group, as he was eleven, but Liam couldn’t make out his hair in the mess of bodies following him.

Older kids entailed a significant amount of drama, at least compared to _the babies_ as Liam’s wing has taken to calling the younger group during breaks, that Liam wasn’t prepared for. There was bra stealing, fights over music, and even an embarrassing amount of pantsing, and Liam had only been in the wing for twenty minutes. Louis, however, seemed to take it in stride, unflinchingly, so Liam figured this was normal.

It took a little less than an hour to get all the kids showered and settled, Liam putting on his normal shower time playlist that started with upbeat songs, only to fade into more mellow ones as it went on, allowing everyone to unconsciously wind down as it got closer to lights out.

Louis was quick to call first shirt of night duty, leaving the last hour for Liam to do, between 11:00 and midnight. Once ten o’clock rolled around and the kids were at the very least quiet and in bed, Liam shuffled out of the wing for a quick phone call to his mum before he had to be back.

A quick update about camp and life in general later, Liam found himself shooing a yawning Louis to bed. However, and Liam wasn’t the least bit surprised, he immediately left the wing, probably going to meet Harry before they had to be in bed.

There were only a couple of kids still awake when Liam settled in to sit for his hour. They shifted around restlessly for about ten minutes before everything grew still. Liam loved the quiet of the wing when all the kids had gone to sleep. He knew his own wing had been asleep for at least an hour by now, the little ones always ready to settle down a bit earlier.

A quick glance at the clock on his phone as he scrolled through Instagram told him that it was 11:35. He had just over twenty minutes left. Liam’s ears pricked up when a small whine broke the quiet. Liam shrugged it off as a kid settling back down after waking up, until he heard it again, followed by rustling sheets.

Liam’s face immediately flushed, figuring that it was one of the boys, a little bored late at night. Liam cautiously cleared his throat to let the kid know someone else was awake. It was quiet for a few more minutes before Liam heard it again.

Liam sighed. He knew he’d have to figure out who it is and tell them to either take it to the toilet or cut it out. There were girls here, too. As he made his way between bunks, listening silently, Liam finally got to Elijah’s bed before he heard the whine again, this time paired with a soft, but insistent, “ _No!_ ”

Now that Liam knew it wasn’t a kid wanking in their bunk, Liam was fine to walk back to finish out the rest of his night shift. As he turned around to walk back to his seat, Elijah’s voice cut through the silence again.

“S’ella, no!” Liam froze, recognizing Stella’s name through the slur of his sleepy voice. He frowned, remembering Harry’s comment from before about Elijah having nightmares. Elijah muttered a few more incomprehensible words before another whine, this time louder. He was shifting restlessly in bed, legs tangling further in the sheets as he slept on.

Liam wasn’t sure if he should wake the boy up, having never experienced sleep talking. He knew you weren’t supposed to wake up someone who was sleep _walking_ , but he couldn’t tell you anything about sleep talkers. He hovered by the bed long enough that he could hear Elijah’s breathing quicken.

“No! Stop,” Elijah mumbled. Then, as much of a shock to Liam as Elijah, he sat up with a sharp, “HELP!” His eyes flew open, darting around the room. Thankfully, Liam was still right next to him and laid a hand on the boy’s trembling leg, kneeling down to the bottom bunk where he was.

“Hey, you’re okay. We’re at camp. You’re in bed. It was just a bad dream.” A quick glance told Liam that the other kids had thankfully not been disturbed by the outburst.

Elijah’s wide eyes landed on Liam, and he let out a shaky breath as he recognised his face.

“It wasn’t a dream,” His voice broke. “It was real.” And then he latched onto Liam as he sobbed quietly.

Liam gave the boy a few minutes. When his breathing slowed and he seemed a bit more in control, Liam pulled back to look at Elijah.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“It was like it was happening all over again,” Elijah whispered. Liam knew instantly what he was talking about, since Zayn had told him Elijah was there when Stella’s original accident occurred. “She was on fire again. Screaming. She just kept screaming. She was so loud. _So loud_. I can’t stop hearing it. It’s too loud. I can’t make it stop.” Elijah’s fingers twisted tightly in his hair, and Liam saw his eyes close tightly.

“Hey, it’s all over now, Elijah. You’re at camp, and you’re safe here. It’s over.”

“It’s not over,” Elijah breathed, like he didn’t want Liam to hear. “She’ll never be okay again, and it’s all my fault.” Elijah let out a sob again, and Liam’s heart broke. This boy was only eleven years old, with the weight of his sister’s traumatic accident on his shoulders.

“Elijah look at me,” Liam said, stern but gentle. It took a few seconds of coaxing before Elijah’s watery eyes met Liam’s. “Your sister is okay. She’s probably asleep right now in her bed. She’s okay. It’s not your fault that happened.”

Elijah’s breath hitched, and the fight seemed to drain out of his body. Liam noticed, rubbing a hand up and down his spine, just like he did for Stella earlier. Liam gave him a few moments of quiet before he reiterated his statement.

Liam wrapped his arms around Elijah’s body, sitting on his bed to haul him close and, once again, told Elijah that what happened to Stella was _not his fault_. And when he broke down again hearing those words, sobs wracking through him until Liam was shaking from the force of them too, Liam started to think that maybe the small boy in his arms had never heard anyone say that out loud.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m SO sorry for the absolute LACK of Ziam in chapter one. Just as a plea to keep you guys interested, their interaction and general adorable-ness amps up immediately.  
> Before you read on, I want all of you to know just how much of a struggle it was to type out Liam’s texts. I wanted their texting styles to reflect their tweets so there could be a distinct difference between them, but, as a grammar Nazi, it hurt my English-loving heart. But I did it. For you guys!!!!

Chapter 2

Liam’s alarm buzzed rudely under his pillow bright and early the next morning. Yesterday had been an excruciatingly long day, with drama and fights and crying, but Liam couldn’t help but grin to himself when he remembered that Sam had gone home late last night. He’d seen the boy and his parents climbing into a sedan about ten o’clock, and Liam had _just_ resisted the urge to flip off the car as it slowly drove out of view. He’d settled for making faces before calling his mum.

He dressed quickly, having a few moments to sit before they had to start waking up kids. When Liam remembered his conversation with Elijah last night, he pulled out his phone to shoot a quick text to Zayn. His thumbs hovered over the screen for so long, thinking about what he would say, that it went black. He finally settled for a simple:

**E had a rough nite last nite. had a bit of a cry and gave him a cuddle. hvnt seen him 2day but ill let u no how he is :)**

Since it was still early, and this was the equivalent of a ‘break’ for Zayn, seeing as he had no kids in the house, Liam wasn’t expecting a reply right away, and he didn’t get one. His phone was burning a hole in his pocket all throughout breakfast, and he ached to check for a notification, but he resisted.

Elijah seemed worlds better at breakfast. It seemed that the threat of Sam had really been holding the boy back. At breakfast, he had come up to Liam while they were in line for a hug and informed him that he’d be sitting with some of his friends this morning.

“Is that okay?” The boy asked. Liam saw him pull his bottom lip into his mouth, sucking rather than biting. _I wonder if Zayn does that, too_ Liam think, distracted for a moment before he remembers the boy had asked him something.

“Of course, love. I’ll see you this afternoon!” The boy just grinned and ran off. Liam watched him settle in next to a group of kids in his wing, and he smiled.

**Thanks for looking out for him, Leeyum. (; How are they doing?**

The text was waiting on Liam’s screen when he pulled it out to play music after they’d finished in the dining hall. They’d gone back to the unit for a bit to clean up, make beds, and get ready for a day of activities. Liam typically played some music while they tidied up. He couldn’t help the flutter in his gut at the nickname, grinning madly at his phone as he typed out a quick reply before setting up a playlist.

**they both seem fine! E sat w friends at brekkie. i think the kid going home was xactly what he needed.**

Liam didn’t have a spare moment until after their first activity to check his phone again. They’d gone to music, which was Liam’s least favourite activity in all of camp. He’d rather get llama shit on his shoe at Farm Life than come to music. They’d been at camp for over six weeks, and the chick in charge of music, Chelsea, had been playing the same four games the entire summer. She’d thrown in a day-long craft of bead tambourines during week three that allowed her to pass out markers, glue, and tissue paper, tell the kids to go nuts, and then sit on her phone the whole time. It pissed Liam off to watch her do absolutely nothing.

About halfway through music, while they were tossing a beachball around the circle as music played _yet again_ , Liam felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Liam had half a second to prepare for the beachball he saw coming towards him, attention focused on what Zayn might have said, grasping it firmly in his hands just as the music paused.

“LIAAAM!!!” The small group crowed, knowing exactly what happened next. Both of Liam’s thumbs were on the ball, and he had to pick one of the things he was touching to do. The ball was covered in various innocent “dares” that ranged from ‘play an instrument of your choice for twenty seconds’ to the campers’ favourites ‘serenade a counsellor: kids’ choice.’

Lucky for Liam, one of his thumbs ordered him to spill what his favourite activity was (a very pathetic ruse to get people to say music). Liam grinned and said, “nap time,” getting a laugh out of the kids (and the staff that _100%_ agree with him) before amending his joke and saying, “Athletics. Or the pool!” The kids cheered, obviously agreeing with him, before the music started up and the game continued.

The rest of the activity drug by with the knowledge that Liam had a text waiting from Zayn. As they _finally_ wrapped up music and stood to make their way to Drama, Liam couldn’t help but pull out his phone.

**20 Questions?**

Liam grinned at the simple question on his screen, typing out a quick reply as they entered their next activity.

**sure, but that doesnt count as ur 1st 1! haha**

Drama isn’t as boring as Music, but there isn’t much for counsellors to do during it. The activity staff who run the games and lessons never have trouble getting the younger kids to participate, and they love interacting with all the kids who come in, so, as usual, the wing staff and Liam plop down throughout the wide open stage area and pull out their phones immediately.

With a grin on his face that is starting to make his cheeks ache, Liam pulls out his phone to find a text waiting for him.

**Okay, okay. I’ll go easy on you to start. Hmmm…what’s your favourite snack?**

Despite it being an easy question, Liam still had to think about it for a minute. He liked lots of different snacks, and what he decided to eat normally depended on his mood. The more he thinks about it though, the more options he starts coming up with, so he picks a tried-but-true option to send back.

**probs just crisps, mate aha. im a bit boring. soz. my turn. fav thing 2 cook?**

It wasn’t but a minute or two later that Liam felt his phone buzz in his hand. He had glanced up at the kids to make sure they were alright, but immediately snapped his head back to his phone with the alert of a text.

**Well, I hate to brag, but I can proper get around some dinosaur chicken nuggets, but if we’re talking full-on cooking, probably me mum’s chicken curry. It’s never quite tasted the same, but it always reminds me of home, and the kids love it.**

Liam chuckled at the mention of dino chicken. He remembered, growing up, begging his mom for that exact dinner nearly every night. Getting his way would always end up in an epic smack down of the T-rex and Triceratops, leaving crumbs of breading all over the table, and even on the floor.

A second text shook Liam from his thoughts.

**Do you prefer playing or watching sports?**

Liam didn’t have to think about this one for a second.

**def playing. u? (doesn’t count as a ?, im just curious)**

Liam chewed on the edge of a fingernail while he waited for a response. He chuckled when he saw Nikki and Summer strutting around on stage in some ridiculous outfit that probably made total sense for whatever “scene” they were in, but just looked like kids playing dress up. Which, Liam thought, they totally are.

**I prefer to watch from the sidelines. But no worries. I’d rather cheer for you from the stands and watch you get sweaty running around anyway.**

And…what? Liam had been at camp for long enough to leave him in a constant state of confusion and tiredness, but he felt like he could still recognise flirting when I happened, and that sounded like flirting. Was Zayn flirting?

Liam waved Louis over from his place a few meters away, needing help with this one.

“I need your help,” Liam said immediately after Louis plopped down next to him. He shoved his phone at Louis, letting his eyes skim over the words there. “Was that a flirt?” Louis snorted.

“A flirt? Really, Liam? You’re a grown-ass adult.”

“Lou, please?” Liam begged, pulling out the puppy eyes. He knew they worked for Harry.

“You’re not nearly as cute as Harry,” Louis said, seeing through him immediately. “But yeah, seems like he’s flirting to me.”

“How do I make sure? I honestly don’t even know if he’s gay. Or even bi!”

“Ask him what his best date was. That typically guarantees you a pronoun, and you can gauge it from there.” Louis shrugged then, like he wasn’t an absolute fucking _genius_. “Oh! Better yet, ask him his _worst_ date.”

“Why the worst?”

“First of all, my dear LiLi, worst-date stories are always fucking hilarious. Second, if he mentions a girl on a best date, that could be a bit awkward for you to find a response. If it’s a terrible date with a girl, then just joke about how terrible it sounds and move the hell on!”

Like Liam said. Fucking genius. He immediately typed out the text after seeing it’d been more than five minutes since he got Zayn’s message. Even with his delayed message though, Zayn’s reply was almost instant. It made Liam feel pleased that Zayn at least seemed to want to talk to him, so he took that as a win before he read the response.

**Shit. Worst date…**

**Oh! I downloaded a dating app and met up with someone at a movie theater. Not only did he make me pay for my ticket, he fell asleep less than fifteen minutes into the movie and _still_ tried to kiss me when it was over. He’d said less than ten words to me the whole time, so I just walked out and left him. He ruined the memory of the first _Avengers_ movie for me.**

Liam’s heart soared the moment that his eyes skimmed over the first ‘he,’ then dissolved into poorly stifled laughs as he continued reading.

Feeling a body coming closer, Liam easily closed out of his messages and opened up his music app as Olivia plopped down in his lap.

“What’re you doin’ ‘Eeyum?” She asked. Her voice was an odd mix between a slur and an accent that had become familiar over the past two weeks. Her file had told him it was because of her accident that she talked like this. She was one of a few kids at camp, one of which included her brother Zack, who had survived an _electric_ burn. Liam let his hand settle around her waist as she got comfy, feeling the ridges of her scars under her clothes. When she settled, Liam held his phone lower so she could see.

“I’m picking music for shower time tonight. Do you have any requests?”

“I yike greatest s’owman,” She grinned. Zayn’s name flashed across his screen with another text that Liam quickly swiped away.

“You like _The Greatest Showman_?” Liam repeated for clarity. She nodded, and Liam pulled up the album to let her pick a couple songs she knew. She ended up picking Rewrite the Stars _of course_ and The Greatest Show. “Those are excellent choices, love.”

It wasn’t until lunch time almost two hours later that Liam remembered he hadn’t replied to Zayn.

**Do you play any instruments?**

The text was waiting for him when he settles down at the table to eat. He thumbed out a quick response to both before he turned his attention to Summer, who was sitting across from him.

**ahaha that sounds shit mate. i play a bit of piano and i can sing. nothing 2 impressive.**

They continued their game the rest of the day between activities and meals. Liam learned quite a bit about the black-haired dad like he could fall asleep in any position and wake up on his stomach, he liked to paint, and he was single. Liam didn’t even ask him about his relationship status. Rather, Zayn had mentioned it in passing while answering another one of Liam’s questions.

Liam’s questions revealed that he hadn’t broken any bones, but had gotten a few concussions playing footie when he was a few years younger, had two older sisters, and had become a light sleeper while at camp, the smallest sound waking him up. He told Zayn he’d started wearing earplugs a few weeks ago when a kid couldn’t quit mumbling in his sleep. He had kept Liam awake three nights in a row before Liam (actually, it was Louis who suggested it) had gone to get earplugs from the infirmary. He’d slept so great that night that he’d woken up with drool on his pillow the next morning, but he spared Zayn that detail.

The conversation between questions flowed just as easily as during, ranging from Stella and Elijah, to what they were doing at the time, to hobbies and more.

Liam offhandedly mentioned something about Snapchat a few days later, and Zayn immediately requested his username, adding him as soon as it was sent. So now, their game of 20 Questions shifted from being over texts, to being exchanged with silly selfies throughout the day.

He couldn’t help but answer Zayn’s question of **what’s the last thing that made you smile?** with a selfie of him and Stella, matching grins, and telling Zayn a quick recap of the look on her face when one of the ducks in Farm Life quacked so loudly that it had scared her, and she’d hid behind Liam for the rest of their time. It had happened in the previous activity, and Liam had technically smiled since then, but he figured Zayn would appreciate a picture of Stella.

Zayn sent back a picture of him caught mid-laugh looking unfairly pretty with the caption **fuck I miss them**. He answered Liam’s next question ( **wat are u doing rn ??** ) with another selfie, this time from a wider angle, capturing the room he’s in. His face was just barely in the frame, allowing Liam to admire the tidy room.

**I’ve spent the past three days cleaning this room, and if I have to look at it for one more minute, I’m going to put my house up for sale.**

Liam couldn’t stop the cackle that he let out. He couldn’t imagine spending _three days_ cleaning a room, which he relayed to Zayn, whose response was a simple **have kids**. It sent him into another fit of giggles, which drew Louis’ attention. He could feel his cheeks flush with laughter, and maybe a bit of embarrassment at being totally caught on his phone, but it’s _Louis_ , so he remembered he didn’t give a shit.

***

The next morning, when Liam’s alarm woke him up, the first thing he saw after he silenced the sound was a notification from Zayn. It was time stamped 23:56, so Liam knew he’d fallen asleep before he’d gotten it. Liam immediately opened the app to see what Zayn had sent. From Liam’s count, they only had a handful of questions left in the game from they’d reached twenty.

When he opened the snap, there was a picture of Zayn, obviously in bed based on the soft-looking blanket draped just under his chin, with **When I was a kid, I wanted to be a superhero, but as I got older I wanted to be an artist. Now, I’m a teacher. Where do you live?**

Liam quickly snapped a picture, even though it was still dark and you could barely see his face, and sent his reply. **A superhero! Cute (; I’m originally from Wolverhampton, but now I live in North London. What do you teach?**

Liam forced himself to hit send and quickly got out of bed. He was a little rushed getting ready for the day, but it didn’t wipe the smile off his face.

Once again, Zayn didn’t reply until a couple hours later, the buzzing in Liam’s pocket coming right as Chelsea, announced they’d be playing the same ball game from before. Liam bit back a groan and cheered with the kids while she fished out the ball and got some music playing.

There were a few funny things on the ball, like ‘break dance for 15 seconds’ and ‘rap battle!!!’ that was always a big hit. It was only a matter of time before it came to Liam, and this time, he didn’t escape as easily. Liam groaned when he noticed that ‘serenade a counsellor: kids’ choice’ was under his left thumb.

“Ohhhh! He got serenade! He’s gotta serenade someone!” Nikki crowed. Liam lied; he didn’t like her anymore. _He totally did, though_.

“C’mon, Nik, I have a whole other thumb to pick from!” Liam coaxed.

“But you gotta!” There were other kids that chimed in their opinions, telling Liam that he should serenade someone, and it’d be ‘so fun!’

“Alright, alright,” Liam conceded. “Who am I singing to?”

“LOUIS!!!!” Came the uproar of voices. It was unanimous; there was nothing Liam could do, so he beckoned Louis over and took Chelsea’s phone to cue up a good song. He thought for a moment. He hadn’t been picked for a serenade for a few weeks and wanted it to be funny. He grinned when an idea popped into his head, quickly typing in the name of the song and hitting play.

The opening chords of “Boyfriend” by Justin Beiber filled the room, making the girls squeal and the boys groan. Liam chuckled.

_If I was your boyfriend, I'd never let you go_ _  
I can take you places you ain't never been before_

With the first couple lines, all Liam really did was point and gesticulate towards him or Louis, but as the song continued, they both got more into it, dramatically swooning (Louis) and generally making an arse of himself (Liam).

About halfway through the song, Louis sidled up behind him and wrapped his arms around Liam’s waist lovingly. He whispered a quick ‘turn around’ in Liam’s ears, which Liam did, _just_ on the appropriate side of sexy. Louis pretended to faint. There was grinding that was probably a bit too much for Liam’s group, but since the older kids were with them today, Liam simply rolled his body to the music. He didn’t let it continue for too long, though.

_Tell me what you like yeah tell me what you don't_ _  
I could be your Buzz Lightyear, fly across the globe_

When Liam sang the lines, Louis urged him to raise his arms like Buzz, pretending to fly. Louis pressed right up against Liam’s back and, before he knew what was happening, pulled Liam’s tanktop up and wrapped it over his head. The room dissolved into laughter as Liam flailed his arms to get the fabric off, and when he did, his face was warm from laughter.

“Alright, boys,” Chelsea clapped as she stopped the music. “Let’s go ahead and keep playing the game, yeah?”

While the group was in Drama later, Liam pulled his phone out to check his Snapchat. There was a snap from Zayn waiting for him, and when he opened it, he nearly forgot to read Zayn’s answer ( **Sixth-form English! Have any pets?** ). He was too distracted by the sleepy selfie Zayn had sent of him, shirtless, with bed head. But the tattoos that were blatantly in the picture caused Liam’s brain to malfunction, and he was snapping a selfie and sending his reply before he realised he hadn’t answered Zayn’s questions, nor had he asked one in return.

**u have tats**

Zayn replied almost instantly, but the bubble next to his name was purple instead of the usual red, which indicated he had sent a _video_. Liam typically saved videos to watch until he could put headphones in and listen, just in case there was audio, but he couldn’t help himself. He clicked it.

A _very_ shirtless and _very_ tattooed Zayn popped up onto his screen in a full-length mirror. The video was short, allowing Zayn to twist both his arms to show off two full sleeves, and then pan out to show the assortment on his chest. **Yeah, mate! I have over 40!** And Liam was drooling. He watched the video loop at least four times before he closed his mouth.

Just like before, in response to all his Zayn-related angst, Liam quickly motioned Louis over, because he couldn’t be stuck being the only one drooling over Zayn’s body. Liam needed someone to swoon with.

“Damn, Li,” Louis say when Liam simply motioned to his phone with a strangled sound. They watched it loop a few more times before Louis spoke again. “Where the hell’d you find _him_?” And Liam considered lying. He considered keeping Zayn all too himself, or even telling Louis he’d met him online, but he _needed_ to tell _someone_.

“He’s Elijah’s _dad_ ,” Liam croaked out.

“You’re fucking kidding me!” Louis cried a bit too loudly. One of Liam’s campers giggled cutely when she heard Louis curse, but they didn’t pay attention. Liam shook his head. “Well he’s well fit, Li. How long’ve you two been talking?”

“I got his number when Stella had her panic attack at the pool. We called him so he could talk with her, and he seemed to be a bit worried about her. I made some joke about ‘oh, I can’t really keep you updated except for texts and shit,’ and then he just said, ‘yeah mate!’ and then he gave me his number.” Liam spilled out, sounding almost a bit manic by the end.

“That was slick, Li. Good job, mate!”

“I wasn’t trying to get his number though. I mean, I’m not complaining, but yeah.”

“You got his number to update him on his kids, and he’s sending you videos of himself shirtless,” Louis deadpanned. “I don’t think it counts as strictly ‘platonic’ anymore.” Louis scoffed and walked off, leaving Liam to glance back at his phone, which still played the video on a loop. Liam allowed himself to watch it twice more before he clicked out and sent a response.

**wow, z. and i thought i had a lot!**

**How many do you have?** Came Zayn’s response not too much later.

Liam honestly didn’t know. He’d lost track a while ago. He sent Zayn a selfie of him shrugging with **i don’t even no, mate. maybe 20? ahaha**

They continued their conversation throughout the rest of the day, having unofficially put a pause on their game for now. By the time dinner rolled around, Liam’s cheeks hurt from grinning so often, and Louis kept threatening to take his phone.

“How do you still have power?” Louis asked when Liam pulled out his phone for the ten thousandth time that day.

“I charged it while we cleaned this morning, and again during break, and I have a portable charger in my bag.”

Louis gave him an incredulous look, and Liam felt a bit bad. He quickly finished his text and stuffed it back in his shorts, turning back to his friend.

“Sorry, sorry. I’m listening,” Liam said. Louis immediately launched into a recount of their fun in music earlier. It had worked out in their favour that workshop, where Louis was normally at that time, had flooded. They ended up piling Liam’s and Louis’ groups into the music room for an extra-large activity, but it was fun.

“Check this out. Niall sent it to me,” Louis beamed. He had a video up on his phone, and when he pushed play, Liam couldn’t help his laugh. Someone, presumably Niall, had filmed the whole thing, even getting Louis pulling Liam’s shirt over his head and the ensuing chaos after.

“Send that to me, will ya?” Liam chuckled. Louis nodded, and once he had received the video, Liam saved it so he could put it up on his snapchat story. Just as he went to put his phone away, a snapchat from Zayn came through. Liam shot a glance to Louis, who had been pulled into a conversation with one of his campers, so Liam quickly opened it.

Zayn had done his hair. He looked to have on a nicer shirt, and Liam felt heat flash through him when his first thought was _Zayn’s going on a date_. Then, he read the caption. **Going to a pub with some friends, so if my replies are slow, or unintelligible, you’ll know why.** Liam grinned and took a picture of the long table of kids and sent back **that’s all good, mate. i got my own party 2 go 2!**

Liam had decided to read a bit of his book that he’d been neglecting that night after the kids had gone to bed. He’d just finished a chapter and gotten up to grab some tea when his phone rang. Normally, he called his mum since his schedule was so chaotic, so it was a bit weird to hear his phone ring, but when he picked it up and saw Zayn’s name, his heart leapt to his throat. He had to force his finger across the screen to answer it before it went silent.

“Hel’o?” Liam croaked out.

“Leeyum,” Zayn’s voice filtered down the line, and Liam felt his face flush. “Vas happenin’?” Liam couldn’t help but chuckle. Zayn had obviously had a few drinks.

“Not much. I was just making some tea. You?” Liam shuffled his phone so he could press it against his shoulder as he collected his things.

“Was watching your snap story thing and saw that video you posted. It was hot.” Liam choked on his tea.

“What?” Liam winced at the sound of his voice.

“God, Li, you’re so fucking fit.” Liam could hear him groan, and felt his face flush again, grinning despite himself.

“You’re one to talk? You sent me that video of your tattoos today. I swear I watched it at least twenty times.” Liam found himself confessing and, strangely, he didn’t regret it.

“Yeah, but you’re so _tan_ , Li. And your abs. Its honestly not fair that your abs look like that.”

“How much did you drink tonight?” Liam asked, not focusing on the way the nickname made his stomach flip.

“Honestly not that much. I’d love to say I drank m’ friends under the table, but I’m only a bit buzzed, which might make this phone call a bit awkward in the morning.” Liam heard his chuckle on the other end and frowned.

“Why would it be awkward?”

“Cause, babe, I just told you I thought you were ‘fucking fit’ and I can’t even blame it on the alcohol.”

“Yeah, but I also think you’re fit, Z. And I haven’t had any alcohol.” Liam counters.

“So, you _were_ flirting,” Was Zayn’s response. It wasn’t worded as a question, so Liam took it as a win that Zayn recognised it for what it was.

“I was definitely _trying_ ,” Liam said with a chuckle. “I’m a bit out of practice.”

Zayn hummed in reply, and they lapsed into a comfortable silence. It was silent long enough that Liam thought Zayn had fallen asleep.

“Zayn?” Liam said softly.

“I like the way you say my name.” Zayn’s voice was equally as soft, barely reaching Liam’s ear; “But I’d rather hear you moan it.” Liam’s face had been flushed for so long, that was probably the only reason he didn’t twitch in his pants at the thought, but it didn’t stop to groan from slipping from his lips.

“You can’t just _say_ things like that, Z,” Liam whined. “It’s not fair when I can’t do anything about it.”

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait until I come get Stella and Eli in a few days.” Zayn said. Liam could imagine his shrugging nonchalantly, but the warmth in his face had yet to dissipate. “What are your plans for after the kids leave?”

“Probably cry. I’ll miss them so much. But we do have the whole weekend off before our final two weeks.” It was a weak try at being subtle, but Liam couldn’t find it within himself to care that he was basically asking for Zayn to ask him out. He wasn’t disappointed.

“Would you want to join us for some sightseeing? I know you’ve been there all summer and you might be sick of it, but maybe you could show us some cool spots.”

“I – yeah, Zayn. I’d love that,” Liam breathed. “I know the perfect spot!”

“It’s a date.” Came his declaration. “Just in case that wasn’t clear and all.”

“I can’t wait. But for now, we’ll have to wait, because I’ve got to get ready for bed.”

“Alright, babe. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, yeah?”

“Of course! And no regrets tomorrow. I’m glad you called.”

“I’m glad I called, too. Got a date out of it,” Zayn said. Liam could hear the grin in his voice, and grinned back, even if Zayn couldn’t see it.

“Goodnight, Z,” Liam said softly.

“Night, Li.”

***

Despite the ease of their conversation last night, Liam felt nervous as he waited for Zayn’s response the next morning. Originally, Liam had wanted to do something daring, like sending a raunchy picture or describing the extremely arousing dream he had the night before. Hearing Zayn describe how hot he thought Liam was made him hot is a different way. He’d had to duck into the bathroom at four in the morning to wrap a hand around himself. He’d come, embarrassingly quickly, stifling a moan in the crook of his arm, and gone back to bed feeling so light-headed he felt buzzed.

Instead of that, which simply _thinking_ about admitting to that had Liam flushing with embarrassment, he sent a simple **thx for calling z. had 4gotten what ur voice sounded lik**

Liam had pressed ‘send’ before he could talk himself out of it, and immediately felt like a teenager. He had the odd urge for a cigarette, even though he’d quit over a year ago. Sometimes, when he was feeling a bit strung out, he reached for the tobacco, almost like a safety net.

Since they went to music the day before, they were in workshop when Liam’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Making sure Olivia and Summer were set with their birdhouses, Liam couldn’t stop himself from pulling out his phone. As he expected, the text from Zayn was waiting for him.

**Guess I’ll have to call you more often then. Wouldn’t want you forgetting about me before our date xx**

Something as simple as two text-kisses shouldn’t cause Liam’s skin to heat up like it did, so he blamed the summer sun and the sweltering heat of workshop as he thumbed a response out with ruddy cheeks and a grin on his face.

**could never 4get about u. but i wont turn down more calls x (:**

While Zayn’s response did alleviate some of the nerves Liam had about his message, he found that his itch for a smoke didn’t go away as they moved from activity to activity. By the time the lifeguards had called time for their hour, Liam was practically vibrating.

“Jesus Christ, Li,” Louis said, furrowing his eyebrows at Liam’s behaviour. “You’d think there a vibe up your arse with how much you’re shaking.”

“I wouldn’t have a vibe in my arse, dickhead,” Liam mumbled, biting on his bottom lip. Louis’ shocked expression didn’t go unnoticed by Liam, but he was too antsy to appreciate the fact that he’d caught him off guard. “I’d be the one putting it in someone.”

“What’s up?” Louis asked, a bit softer, without a hint of the previous teasing.

“Need a smoke. C’n I smoke with you and H in a bit?”

“Yeah, Li, sure.”

They met in the smoking circle about fifteen minutes later, having gotten the kids settled. Liam was waiting for Louis, leg bouncing, for two minutes until the shorter lad appeared carrying a pack of cigarettes.

Liam followed him silently. He knew he’d have to explain what was going on after this display. He’d talked to Louis at the beginning of the summer when they had just met about smoking, stating that he’d quit a while back. Liam, in all honesty, thought it was an absolutely disgusting habit, and he cursed the fact that his body still itched for a smoke when he got anxious. However gross it was, Liam couldn’t keep his eyes off the guys who were already there, puffing on their own cigarettes when they walked up. He had a love-hate relationship with smoking, knowing it was gross, but unable to keep himself from thinking how _sexy_ it was to watch a guy as they wrapped their lips around the brownish-orange paper on one end. Maybe anxiety wasn’t why Liam needed a smoke...

The phone call with Zayn the night before, followed by the dream he’d had must’ve reminded his brain that he hadn’t properly gotten off in over two months. Apart from a few wanks in the showers and one, blessedly, drawn-out orgasm he’d gotten when everyone had gone out on a weekend Liam had promised his mum a Skype session, Liam had neglected his dick. It was getting its payback now, apparently.

Liam eagerly took the offered cigarette and lighter from Louis, immediately lighting up and taking a long, slow drag. His lungs ached, and on his exhale, he ended it with a strong cough, but he felt the buzzing in his bones ease just a bit.

After two cigarettes, Liam found his muscles fully relaxed, turning to fix Louis with an easy grin. The other guys had left about halfway through his second, leaving Louis, Harry, and Liam alone in a haze of smoke.

“You gonna tell me about your sudden need to smoke, babe?” Louis prompted, light but firm. And Liam thought about lying. He thought about telling Louis that he was just missing home and real sleep, but he didn’t.

“Horny.” Was all he said and felt pleased when both Louis and Harry sputtered on their exhale. Their eyes were wide and a bit wet from the burn of coughing when they finally calmed down.

“You’re smoking cause you’re horny?” Harry asked. Liam just nodded.

“It took you nine weeks before you were horny? How-? What-? I get horny after two _days_. Right, Haz?” Louis grinned.

“He really does.” Harry seemed exasperated, but it wasn’t believable when he was looking at Louis with adoration in his eyes. “What’s changed, Li?” His voice was soft for a different reason when he spoke again. Knowing they would ask, Liam had left a snapchat from Zayn unopened. Harry still hadn’t seen, or even heard Liam talk about, Zayn.

“Zayn,” Liam said. Louis’ eyes lit up, and Harry’s brows pulled together. Liam just held up a finger to Harry and pulled out his phone to open the app. He pressed Zayn’s name and, sparing a second to admire the dark-haired lad himself, and his message, showed the phone to Harry. Louis squeezed himself tightly against Harry’s side to get a look, and when Liam pulled the phone back, Louis stayed.

It was a simple picture, with a nonsensical response from something Liam had said earlier, but Liam’s gut twisted with arousal when his eyes ran over Zayn’s not-yet-tamed bed head and wide, toothy grin. Liam caught a hint of Zayn’s tongue pressed behind his teeth and had to beg off another cigarette from Louis.

Once he’d lit it and taken a long drag without coughing, he managed to look up at his friends. He knew what they’d ask first.

“Who’s Zayn?” It was Harry’s question, of course.

“Stella and Elijah’s dad,” Liam said, exhaling smoke away from Harry’s face as he watched his mouth drop open.

“He’s a _dad_?! He looks like a kid. How old is he?”

“Twenty-nine.”

“That means he had Elijah when he was _eighteen_ , fuck,” Louis swore. Liam nodded. The shock had worn off long ago, leaving behind lust and butterflies, which was an odd combination. “The mom?”

“Not in the picture.” Louis hummed at Liam’s response, nodding slowly.

“You gonna ask him out?” Harry asked.

“Already have a date planned,” Liam said. He smiled, despite himself, at their shocked expressions. They really need to stop underestimating him. But… “Well, it is a date. He called it a date. But Stella and Elijah will be there, too.” They both hummed, the unspoken _so I won’t be able to fuck him until he’s screaming_ lingering in the air.

Walking back to their respective units when break was over, Liam _did_ feel a bit lighter. Louis pulled Harry into a quick kiss before they walked inside to corral the kids for snack time and Athletics. When he walked into the wing, it was quiet. All the counsellors were either passed out on their beds or not there, except the person sitting duty to watch the kids, who happened to be Niall. He wasn’t actually needed today, it seemed, because every single kid was fast asleep.

Just as Liam thought he should make a move to start waking up some kids, an alarm went off. It roused Leigh-Anne, another counsellor, and a handful of kids. Liam slowly made his way down the rows of bunks, shaking kids lightly and letting them wake up slowly. When he got to Stella’s bed, he couldn’t help but smile. She was face down on her bed with her hair everywhere. Zayn had mentioned that, despite how he fell asleep, he always woke up on his stomach, and Liam wondered what else Stella got from her dad.

“Stella-Wella,” Liam cooed, rubbing her back. “It’s time to have snack.” She snuffled, just like always, and yawned. When she sat up, her hair was _wild_. It made Liam chuckle. He grabbed her hairbrush from her trunk and, after he checked if she wanted to do it herself, slid it through her hair to calm the silky strands. They fell back into place easily, and Liam put the brush away, coaxing Stella down from her bed.

“Sleepy,” She murmured, holding out her arms in a silent plea for Liam to carry her. Liam smiled, not even arguing for a second. They both knew he’d say yes, and he turned his back to her so she could clamber onto him. Her arms wrapped easily around his neck as he hefted her a bit higher so he could wrap his arms around her thighs.

“Comfy?” He asked. He noticed the kids gathering quietly, still sleep heavy. He even saw Niall carrying Summer, the girl apparently too sleepy to walk, too. They made eye contact over the heads of the kids and rolled their eyes at each other. It was just for show on Liam’s end, though. He would carry Stella anywhere she’d let him.

“Yeah,” Came her quiet reply. He felt goosebumps race over his skin when she nuzzled into his neck, just like her pillow and inhale. He cringed softly, knowing he smelt like smoke. And she noticed, commenting on it.

“Sorry, love,” He said. She made no move to make Liam think she wanted down, so Liam just tightened his grip so she wouldn’t fall as he started walking after the mass of bodies heading towards the promise of a snack.

“You smell like Baba,” Stella said. It took a bit for Liam to connect the dots. _He smelled like smoke. Smoke smelled like Baba. Baba was Zayn._

“Does Baba smell funny, too?” Liam asked.

“Yeah. He smokes lots.” _Fuck_. Liam was fucked. Already he was trying to remember what Zayn’s lips looked like and trying to imagine what they’d look like wrapped around a fag. _Shit_. Liam couldn’t deal with this right now. He pushed away the thoughts of _Zayn_ and _lips_ and _Zayn’s lips around a cigarette_ and _Zayn’s lips around something else_ when he felt his dick taking interest. Not needing to explain why there was a seven-year-old on his back while he was half-hard, Liam tried for a distraction.

“Do you miss Baba? Are you ready to go home?” Liam asked.

“I miss him lots. I don’t think I want to go home ever though.”

“Why not, love? Having too much fun?” Stella nodded and ducked her head back into Liam’s neck.

“Gonna miss you, Leeyum,” She mumbled against his skin. Liam’s heart ached to tell her about his plans with her dad, but had decided that, while Stella and Elijah were still technically _campers_ , he wouldn’t blatantly step over the boundary from _cousellor_ to maybe _dad’s boyfriend_.

“I’m gonna miss you lots and lots and lots, Stella-Wella.” If Liam’s eyes were a bit red from holding back tears when they got their snacks, nobody said anything to him about it. He really would miss her.

***

The next few days passed by in a mixture of _hurry the fuck up_ and _no! slow down_ that left Liam’s head spinning. He’d had a couple more calls with Zayn at night when the kids were tucked into bed and spent his spare seconds thumbing messages to Zayn. While his frustrations that were directly linked to Zayn hadn’t gone away, they had simmered down to a controlled bubbling.

Now that the day had come, Liam was anxiously excited. All that stood between Liam and forty-eight hours of uninterrupted time with Zayn was checkout. Of course, it was dragging by. Not that Liam was especially _excited_ for all his favourite campers to leave him, but he had been _aching_ for this day for over a week. Now that Liam thought about it, a week wasn’t that long, but at the same time, it felt like ages.

“Hi,” A single tap on Liam’s arm announced Elijah’s warm presence as they settled to wait for parents. Liam picked a good spot against the wall to lean against so he could watch all the kids. It was the three wing leaders and two extra counsellors, including Liam, watching all the kids while the rest of camp cleaned up the units and activities.

He watched Stella run around after Summer and Gloria, both about her age, and patted the floor next to him as an invitation for Elijah to sit down.

“Are you excited to go home?” Liam asked the boy.

“Baba says we’re staying in town for a couple of nights to look around,” Elijah told him. It didn’t come as a surprise to Liam, but he wasn’t sure how Elijah would have known that. As if sensing Liam’s impending question, the floppy-haired boy pulled out his phone. “They gave us back our phones about an hour ago so we could get our friends’ numbers and stuff.” Liam nodded.

“Well what do you want to do while you’re in town?” Liam asked. “I know there’s some good places to eat, and you could always go to the river and swim if you wanted.”

“Baba probably won’t let us go to the river ‘cause he knows Stella won’t swim.”

“There’s a little beach-like area upriver that she could play in the sand,” Liam offered. “That way she’d have something to do if you really wanted to swim.” Elijah was quiet, but Liam knew he was thinking.

“I’m going to miss you,” The boy whispered after a few minutes of silent breathing between them. Liam wrapped an arm around the boy easily to pull him closer.

“I’m going to miss you more than you could even imagine, kiddo,” Liam replied without hesitation. He pondered for a few moments before he held his hand out. “Lemme see your phone.” He handed it over without question. Liam opened his contact app and typed in his name quickly, adding a little tent emoji next to it so Elijah would always know it was him, before he added his number and saved it. He passed the phone back.

“You can call me or text me _anytime_ you need me,” Liam said seriously. “I didn’t text myself, so it is entirely up to you if you use it, but I want you to know that I’m here if you need me and that I love you.” He hadn’t said that to a camper all summer, not even Stella, but it felt right. He loved Elijah. He loved Stella, too, even if he hadn’t gotten a chance to tell her. He knew it would mean more to Elijah anyway, more likely to understand the meaning behind his words. He seemed to, pulling in a sharp breath when Liam said them, but didn’t say anything after that, content to press a bit closer to Liam and play on his phone.

Liam didn’t move, not once. Eventually, as kids’ parents were showed into the room, Stella came up to Liam and cuddled into his other side. Elijah had put his phone down at one point and had fallen asleep.

That’s how Zayn found them, thirty minutes later when he showed up. He walked into the wide-open drama room, expecting Stella to greet him by colliding into his legs. Instead, he found both his kids curled up against _Leeyum_ , his brain supplied helpfully. He couldn’t help running his eyes over Liam. While some people might get bored just _sitting_ there, Liam didn’t seem bored. He wasn’t playing on his phone or talking to someone else, just holding Zayn’s kids. Zayn couldn’t ignore the flutter in his stomach. He was helpfully distracted when Stella _finally_ looked up and caught sight of him, bolting out of Liam’s arms and running across the gym in seconds.

“Baba!” She squealed, crashing into his legs just like he’d expected, even if it was delayed. He scooped her up easily and pressed kisses all over her face and head, making her giggle. He hugged her tightly, breathing in. She didn’t smell like she normally did, which was to be expected. She’d been away for three weeks. She smelled like sunshine and sunscreen and something that had to be Liam, unless she had started wearing men’s cologne.

“Hi, Stella bug,” He breathed. They stayed in each other’s embrace for a long moment until Zayn felt eyes on him. He looked over to find Liam watching, with a sleepy Elijah mouthing words next to him. Liam replied, something short, and then Elijah was standing, making his way over. Zayn set Stella on the floor when Elijah made it to him and pulled his son into an equally as tight hug.

“Missed you, buddy,” Zayn said, petting the boy’s hair. “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah. I did,” Elijah said quietly. He hugged back for a second or two, then let go. Stella immediately asked to be picked back up, so Zayn lugged her back into his arms as Liam shuffled closer. At a very direct head-tilt beckoning him, Liam briskly closed the distance.

“Hey,” Liam greeted easily.

“Hey,” Zayn replied.

“Hey!” Stella chirped. They both laughed, awkwardness broken, and smiled at each other.

“Liam,” He said, awkwardly holding out a hand.

“I know who you are, you donut,” Zayn laughed, but he took Liam’s outstretched hand and shook it. Liam immediately noticed how warm Zayn’s hands were.

“Of course,” Liam chuckled awkwardly, running a hand over the back of his neck. He saw Zayn’s eyes follow the movement, and he smirked. Zayn must’ve noticed Liam noticing his staring because his face flushed a bright pink. Liam grinned. “Should I let you get going? Elijah told me you were hanging out in town for a bit.”

“We are?” Stella exclaimed. When Zayn nodded, she squealed, reaching for Liam. Zayn easily passed his daughter to him, noticing that he was just a bit taller. He observed Stella in Liam’s arms, sneaking a glance to see the way his biceps bulged a bit under her weight. “Can Leeyum hang out with us?” Stella asked, turning her attention back to her father. Zayn snickered to himself and shrugged.

“You should ask Liam,” He grinned, catching Liam’s eye.

“ _Leeyum_ , do you want to hang out with us?” Stella asked, giving him her pouty face that turned _everyone_ into putty. Zayn knew that face very well. Before he answered though, Liam looked down at Elijah.

“Would you mind if I joined you?” He asked the boy. Zayn watched Elijah chew on his lip, quietly thinking, before he shook his head.

“I think that’d be cool,” The boy said with a small grin on his face.

“Well then, it’s a date, pretty girl,” Liam said, smacking a kiss on Stella’s cheek, but making eye contact with Zayn so he knew who he was really talking to. Stella laughed loudly at the sound, then squirmed to be let down, which Liam did.

“We really should go check into the hotel though,” Zayn said. “Do you need to say bye to anyone?” The kids shook their heads. Liam led them out and pointed out where they could pick their luggage up from. He got a quick hug from Elijah that lasted just long enough for Liam to know it really happened before Stella was jumping into his arms for her own hug.

“I’ll see you later, yeah?” Liam said against Stella’s hair. She nodded, like she was the one in charge of what they did, and Liam and Zayn both laughed.

“We’ll see you later,” Zayn said. “I’ll text you.” With that, the little family walked off, and Liam went back inside to wait with the handful of kids still waiting.

“So, what are we doing, Mr. Tour Guide?” Zayn asked. He had lied. He never texted, instead he called Liam to make their plans while Stella had a nap and Elijah played on his phone.

“Well, there’s this not-very-well-known spot by the river that it super nice. I was thinking we could swim for a bit and then get some dinner?” Liam offered. Zayn was quiet for a moment.

“That sounds great, babe,” Zayn started, causing Liam’s heart to beat a bit harder. That was a thing they did now. They called each other _babe_ and _love_. “I’m not sure about Stella though. I know you know she doesn’t swim.”

“There’s a little beach-like area there, too. I figured she could play in the sand, and I’ve got some coloring books and games I could bring. We could play if she gets bored.” Liam allowed a bit of hope to weave into his words, having thought about what he could bring for Stella so she wouldn’t get bored.

“I think that’s a great idea then,” Zayn said. “Should we meet you somewhere, or do you want us to pick you up?”

“Um…I’d say pick me up so I could show you were to go, but I’m not sure where your hotel is. I don’t want you to drive too far out of your way to come get me. I guess I could meet you in town or something, but –”

“Liam you’re rambling,” Zayn interrupted. “We’ll just pick you up, yeah?”

“Yeah, that’d be great, love.”

“Good. Then its settled. Oh, and there may be an awkward conversation when the kids have passed out in their room and you ask me to drive you back to camp. I just wanted to tell you to pack some clothes and stuff that you need for the couple of days.” Zayn said. It didn’t leave Liam with much room to argue, and he must’ve sense that, because he backtracked a bit. “Only if you want to though. Don’t feel pressured.” Liam laughed.

“I’d love to have a sleepover,” Liam chuckled. “What are we telling Stella and Elijah?”

“We don’t have to tell them anything. They’re going to be in an attached room.” Zayn said like it wasn’t a big deal.

“We,” Liam swallowed. “We’ve got a room to ourselves?”

“We’ve got the room just to ourselves, _babe_ ,” This time, when Zayn said it, it sounded dirty. It made Liam’s shudder.

“Zayn,” He whined softly. “Don’t tease.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Zayn chuckled, not sounding the least bit apologetic. “I’ll pick you up at four, yeah?”

“Yeah.” They hung up after a quick ‘see you soon,’ and Liam immediately went to shower. Even knowing he might get into the river later, he wanted to clean himself up a bit. He trimmed at the dark hair he had neglected in the past few weeks, leaving himself neat, but not totally bare. And if he got himself off in the shower, it was just so he wouldn’t scar kids at the river by popping a boner if Zayn got handsy in the water.

“Take a left here,” Liam instructed. “This right. Yep, we’re here! Park anywhere.” Zayn navigated them into a parking spot easily, throwing the car in park before they all climbed out. While the two kids ran ahead to scout for an acceptable spot, Liam grabbed his bag and a couple of the towels that Zayn had brought along. They had a cooler with snacks and drinks in it for later, and Zayn grabbed that to lug it to the river, where Elijah had already stripped his shirt and gotten into the murky water. They all had bathing suits on, allowing Liam to admire the tattoos inked on Zayn’s legs that hadn’t been visible in his video from ages ago.

Once settled in the sun, Liam pulled off his shirt and laid down on a towel he stretched out, another for Zayn near, but at a respectable distance. They were at the very edge of the beach, close enough to keep an eye on the kids, but far enough away that they could talk freely. After a quick glance around, Liam noted the emptiness of the river. He praised himself at the suggestion of this lesser-known place, content to have Zayn, Stella, and Elijah to himself.

“How was the drive?” Liam asked. He’d been thinking about how to start a conversation for a few minutes, since they’d gotten out of the car, and felt ridiculous at his lack of game.

“Uneventful. It was just me and my music for the most part. I’m not really used to driving without the kids in the car, so it was a bit boring.” Liam nodded. He hadn’t thought this through, having nothing else to say as a follow up. Thankfully, Zayn saved him. “How has your summer been?”

“Oh, it’s been the best summer of my life. I may be a bit biased here, but Camp David has been the best three weeks over the summer so far.” Liam turned his head to look at Zayn, noting he’d also taken off his shirt. There wasn’t space between their towels like Liam had left when he’d put Zayn’s down, which meant Zayn had moved his closer. Liam grinned at the thought as he rolled to his stomach.

“Yeah?” Zayn questioned. His voice pulled Liam’s attention to his face, and he saw Zayn’s eyes dart down to look at his lips before they glanced back up.

“Oh yeah. The kids were all so well behaved, except for the boy who was harassing Elijah, but that was taken care of, and they’ve been nothing but amazing since.”

“I’m not gonna lie, babe, I’m not even listening,” Zayn chuckled, eyes drifting back down.

“Oh?” Liam smirked. “Am I boring you?” He teased.

“No, just have other things on my mind.” Was Zayn’s easy answer. Liam couldn’t help but let his eyes wander to Zayn’s lips, too. They were bright pink, probably from Zayn chewing on them during the drive over. Something that Stella and Elijah both got from their dad, Liam stored that information away in his brain for another time before pushing himself up onto his elbows to look down at Zayn.

Zayn’s eyes followed him easily, and Liam watched him inch closer. Liam lifted his arm when Zayn’s skin brushed against it, allowing him to scoot until he was directly underneath his body. They hadn’t taken their eyes off each other in so long, Liam felt his skin warm under Zayn’s gaze. Maybe it was just the sun.

“I’m gonna kiss you now,” Liam warned, lowering himself just a bit.

“Please.” That was all Liam needed to hear before he dropped himself all the way down, his entire upper body resting on Zayn’s bare torso, and let their mouths touch. It was delicious. Zayn’s skin had warmed up in the short time they’d been in the sun, and the feeling of their skin brushing against Liam after not having touched since their handshake had Liam’s skin _burning_.

Liam wasn’t aware of how long they kissed. All he was aware of was Zayn’s mouth moving with his. When Liam felt Zayn’s tongue poking against his lips, he immediately opened his mouth to feel Zayn’s tongue enter. His tongue was hesitant, like he was nervous, so Liam pulled him further under his body and pushed Zayn’s tongue back, chasing it into his mouth. Liam licked into Zayn’s mouth without stopping, letting it roam around and poke, drag along the back of his teeth and tongue. When Zayn moaned, a soft, breathy sound, Liam had to pull back. They’re both breathing heavier, and when Zayn’s eyes met his, they were a bit darker. It made Liam want to smirk until he noticed his swim trunks were a bit tighter that they were earlier.

Not giving Zayn any time to recover, he dipped back down to press their mouths back together. He moved his right arm from where it was helping to support his weight to the back of Zayn’s neck. He felt Zayn’s body tremble at the pressure Liam held his neck with, and Liam huffed softly. Their mouths moved at the same speed as before, this time with Liam dominating more fully with the hand around Zayn. Zayn’s hands came up, one against his waist, and the other curling in his hair. Liam was acutely aware of just how close Zayn’s hands were to his swim trunks, and apparently, so was Zayn. His hand began to steadily slide lower until it brushed against the waistband. He pulled on it, tugging it away from Liam’s skin, only to let it snap back. Liam hissed quietly. When Zayn pulled it again, Liam tensed, waiting for the snap, but it never came. Zayn’s insistent pulling meant that Liam had to move with the pull, or be pulled over, and he didn’t want to take his mouth off Zayn’s ever.

Liam allowed his body to be pulled, easing his legs over Zayn’s until he was settled between them. Zayn stopped pulling and eased the waistband back in place, running a finger over it softly. Liam felt Zayn’s hand wander further down, the heat becoming more intense until he realised that Zayn’s hands were _in his pockets_. He groaned into Zayn’s mouth and couldn’t stop his hips from shifting down. He hadn’t noticed how hard he’d gotten until his dick pressed against Zayn’s hips. He could feel the solidness of Zayn next to his dick, and they both sighed at the contact. He pressed their hips together a few times as Zayn’s hands left the pockets. Liam’s slow, languid rhythm faltered when Zayn’s index finger dipped below his waistband, teasing. He swiped his finger back and forth over the skin there, not trying to go any lower. Liam couldn’t help the shiver that wracked his body.

“Fuck,” Liam groaned against Zayn’s mouth. He leaned his forehead against Zayn’s and let their breathing settle. He propped himself back up on his elbows to look at Zayn again. He almost groaned again at the sight. Zayn looked properly fucked out, even if all they’d really done was kiss.

“Don’t think I’ve ever heard you swear,” Zayn’s voice was _rough_ , gravelly in every way that turned Liam on even more.

“Well, fuck, Z. If we kept going, you’d hear much more than just a couple words.” Their eyes met at the implication and Zayn’s tongue darted out to wet his lips. Liam was helpless to avoid watching.

“ _Leeyum_ ,” Zayn whined. “Now who’s teasing?”

“Payback, babe.” Liam moved carefully off Zayn, allowing an innocent glance down to the other boy’s short which were tented obscenely. Liam bit his lips to keep the noise that was threatening to come out and squeezed the base of his dick hard. He let out a heavy breath as he put a couple inches between them. He watched Zayn shamelessly reach into his shorts to pull on his dick twice and adjust himself before he settled onto his back. Liam knew that staring at Zayn’s cock, even through his shorts, wouldn’t help him calm down, so he rolled onto his stomach. The feel of his cock trapped uncomfortably between his stomach and the ground had him softening, sufficiently calm enough to roll back over after ten or so minutes.

Liam shuffled over to Zayn and, getting the message, Zayn rolled over to slot himself into Liam’s side. Liam sighed when Zayn threw a leg over his, shifting when he could feel the semi-hard press of Zayn’s cock against his hip.

“If you don’t quit squirming, I’m gonna get hard again and have to pull you behind a tree to get my mouth on your dick,” Zayn said like he was asking Liam if he wanted to go swimming. Liam stilled instantly but let his mind wander for a few minutes. Now he not only knew what Zayn’s lips looked like, but how they felt against his own. His imagination was strong enough that he could twist the two into a nice visual of Zayn choking on his cock in their room later.

“Fuck,” Liam groaned, palming at his cock as he sat up. “I think I need to go swim for a bit. Do you want to come?” Zayn just chuckled.

“Fuck, yeah I want to come. But I can wait until we’re alone.” There was a lazy smile on his lips that Liam wanted to kiss off. So, he did. He pressed a short, but firm, kiss to Zayn’s lips and stood up, his back to the river to adjust his shorts. Zayn just laughed again and told him to have fun.

Liam found Stella a few feet from the edge of the water, patting a mound of sand. He grinned at her and settled himself on his bum with his feet stretched out at the edge. The water only came up to the top of his waistband, but it was nice.

“Hi, Leeyum,” Stella grinned when he turned to look back at her.

“Having fun?” He asked. She nodded and walked over to him, toes digging into the damp sand just out of reach from the water. “You can come sit with me. There’s no one here to splash you, so it’ll only be your legs that get wet.” He gestured to himself. Her bottom lip instantly disappeared between her teeth, and Liam couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face as he watched her hesitant steps close the distance.

When her toes met the softly lapping water, she gasped. Liam held up a wet hand to her, and she grabbed it instantly, coming a bit closer. She was up to her ankles in the water, and Liam could feel her hand shaking.

“I’m proud of you, love,” Liam said softly. “So proud. You’re being very brave.” She took a couple more steps until she was right next to him but hesitated again when it came time to sit down. Just when Liam was going to say she didn’t have to, she plopped down carefully next to him.

“I did it,” She breathed, like she didn’t quite believe it herself.

“I knew you could do it,” Liam pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “So proud.” They sat there quietly for a bit until Stella pressed a hand into the sand under them, pulling up a handful. Liam really shouldn’t call it _sand_. It was a river; technically it was dirt, but it felt like sand, so whatever. He immediately stopped debating the differences between dirt and sand as said substance was plopped onto his thigh. He looked at Stella, who had turned away looking _oh so innocent_.

“Did you see who did that?” Liam asked, feigning ignorance.

“Did what?”

“Someone put sand on my leg!”

“No, Leeyum! I didn’t see,” Stella giggled behind her hands.

“I’ll just have to keep my eyes out,” Liam shrugged, pointedly looking in the opposite direction of Stella. Just as he expected, another glob landed just below the other, closer to his knee.

“There is was again!” Stella cried.

“Well, it couldn’t have been Elijah, he’s all the way out there,” Liam pointed to the dark-haired boy about a hundred meters from the shoreline. “And it couldn’t have been Baba since he’s all the way back there.” They twisted to look at Zayn, who was exactly where Liam left him, but he was propped up a bit, watching. Liam felt him blood heat up under his gaze, quickly turning back to look out over the river.

“That must mean…” Stella started, coming up to poke at her chin in thought.

“That must mean it was you!” Liam exclaimed. He picked up a small handful of the wet sand that was between his knees and slowly moved it over Stella. He gave her plenty of time to get away if she wanted to, but she was just giggling and vehemently denying her involvement. Liam let a few drops hit her on her thigh. When her giggles continued, he allowed it to fall more freely until it was gone, laughs mixing in with hers until they were breathless.

“I’m thirsty,” She sighed when they’d stopped giggling.

“Baba has some juice and waters if you need one,” He reminded. Her face lit up and she ran over to her father. Liam followed her a bit slower and grabbed a bottle of water. He went back to the beach and held it over his head, calling Elijah.

“Come get some water!” He called. Elijah’s head whipped around at his name, then swam over easily. He met Elijah in the water when the boy said he wasn’t ready to get out. He met Elijah in water that was up to Liam’s ribs, meaning it was almost up to Elijah’s shoulders. Elijah gulped the water, leaving it half full when he handed it back, quickly thanking Liam before he was off again, swimming back out to where he’d been.

Almost tripping over Stella as she came back to the water’s edge, Liam went to put the water back on ice to keep it cold.

“I’m going to go make sure Baba isn’t too left out, okay, Stella?” Liam asked. “You’ll come get me if you need me?” She nodded, and Liam left her to walk back out into the shallow water where she’d been before, playing with the wet sand around her legs.

Liam huffed ass he sat down, reaching behind Zayn to put the bottle up. When he twisted his body back around, he caught Zayn staring.

“What?” He asked, glancing down at his chest to make sure there wasn’t sand or something on it.

“Stella got in the water,” Zayn said, voice soft.

“Yeah, I guess she did,” Liam shrugged.

“No, no,” Zayn said, turning too face Liam fully. “She got _in_ the water. Not a bath. A _river_. She –” Zayn broke off, eyes watery.

“Hey, she’s okay. She’s not deep at all, see?” Liam pointed at her, still sitting just at the edge. “Totally safe.”

“I know she’s safe. She knows how to swim,” Zayn chuckled softly.

“Oh, then why –?”

“She’s scared of water,” Zayn reminded gently. Liam’s eyes widened.

“Oh, shit,” Liam breathed. Zayn laughed a bit at that, explaining after Liam’s confused glance.

“I’ve made you swear again without getting a hand in your pants.” They both laughed this time, Liam knocking their shoulder together softly.

They sat in quiet for some time, comfortable without words in a way that Liam hasn’t had with someone for a long time. They watched the kids easily, Elijah’s head ducking under the water every few minutes. Stella still played at the edge of the water but had stood to walk a couple steps further in, allowing the water to come just below her knees. Liam felt Zayn’s hand on his, gripping tightly. Liam just squeezed his hand back in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. It wasn’t long before Stella was walking over to them and Liam pulled his hand back.

“Leeyum?” Stella asked, teeth meeting lip.

“Yes, love?”

“Will you…” She turned to look back at the river. “Will you come with me?”

“Of course,” Liam stood up and brushed off his shorts. “Where are we going?”

“The river.” She whispered. It was so soft, Liam almost missed it. But he didn’t, and he just smiled.

“Of course! Let’s go.” He held out his hand for Stella, who gladly took it, and they walked back to the edge. “You just tell me when you want to stop. Even if it’s just for a break. We can go as deep as you want.” Stella nodded.

It was easy for them to get the first few steps into the water, Stella having already done it herself. Once the water was higher than her knees, Liam slowed down a bit, inching forward slowly so Stella wouldn’t get overwhelmed. They got into the water as deep as her belly button before she squeezed his hand.

“Stop. I’m deep enough. This is good,” Stella said. Liam caught the hint of panic in her voice and moved closer, rubbing a hand over her shoulders and back like he knows she likes.

“Doing so well, Stella,” He murmured. “ _So_ well.”

They stayed together in the water, Liam’s hand on Stella’s back, just _being_ for a bit. Liam wasn’t sure how long they stood there, but the water felt nice, cool enough that he wasn’t hot standing in the sun, but warm enough that it wasn’t cold. He was enjoying the easy shifting of the water when Stella felt comfortable.

“Okay, I’m ready,” She said, panic significantly lessened.

“Do you want to go first so you can stop when you want?” Liam offered. She immediately shook her head, so Liam stepped away and stepped just in front of her, still close if she needed him. He took a small step deeper and Stella followed easily, belly button disappearing under water. He watched the water creep up her ribs until it lapped just below her armpits.

“Wait,” She cried, moving closer to Liam. Her arms hugged his legs, and Liam fanned his palm over her back again.

“You’re okay, love,” He soothed. “I’m right here. Not going anywhere. You’re safe.”

“It’s not fair,” She pouted. One look at her face told Liam she wasn’t scared, so he relaxed.

“What’s not fair?”

“You’re tall. It’s less scary for you.”

“Well, I could pick you up, but then the water would be too deep for you to stand. _Or_ ,” He grinned. “I could do this.” He easily fell to his knees, the water instantly swallowing his body until it swirled at his collarbones.

“See?” He said. “Now I’m deeper than you!" Stella giggled, anger and fear forgotten as she moved closer, the water rising ever so slightly higher.

Stella smiled at Liam, turning to the shore where Zayn had moved closer to watch. Liam could see him chewing on his lip from here and ached to press a reassuring kiss to his lips. But he knew Stella needed him more. Stella’s arm darted out from under the water to wave at Zayn, who immediately smiled and waved back.

“Can we go deeper?” Stella asked, eyes bright with something that looked to Liam like _excitement_.

“If we go any deeper, you’ll be swimming.” Liam warned. Stella seemed to think about that for a bit.

“Will you carry me deeper?” She asked softly, as if Liam had ever told her no.

“Front or back?” Liam asked, offering a piggyback. She shook her head and held up her arms. Liam stood up fully to grip her under her arms and hoist her onto his hip. He slowly waded deeper, telling Stella she could still tell him to stop if she needed to.

They got deep enough that the water lapped at both of their chests, and Liam decided to stop there. Stella let out a breath and swirled the water with a hand.

“How do you feel?” Liam asked.

“I’m okay, I think,” Stella said. “I’m still a bit scared, but no one is going to splash me, and I trust you.” Liam’s heart swelled so big he thought it would rip itself from his chest and run away.

“I love you, Stella-Wella,” He said, rubbing his hand over her back underwater.

“Love you too, Leeyum!” She grinned back, hugging his neck tightly.

They stood together for a few minutes before Stella had another idea.

“Can I try swimming?”

“If you want to. How about we go a bit closer to the shore, though?” Stella nodded, and Liam started walking them back. He put Stella down where he knew she’d be comfortable on her own. The water lapped at her waist, and she drug him a bit deeper until she deemed the depth okay to swim. “Do you want to swim to me? I can move a couple steps back.”

“No! No, don’t let go,” Stella’s grip tightened like he’d leave anyway, but he didn’t. Instead, he held on and gently pulled Stella around in circles, getting her used to the idea of not having her feet on the ground. When she was giggling, begging Liam ‘faster,’ he allowed his steps to get bigger, pulling her faster through the water, but never fast enough to splash her in the face.

When he was dizzy from the circles, he pulled Stella close again and let her feet settle on the ground. They giggled breathlessly at each other for a few minutes before Stella _let go of his hands_. At first, it was just one. But soon after, the second hand left his, and Liam’s heart jumped to his throat, staying close in case she needed him. But of course, she didn’t, doggy paddling easily in the shallow water. She swam in a circle around Liam, a huge smile on her face. Liam glanced up at Zayn to find his hands over his mouth in awe. He caught Liam’s eyes and dropped his hands to grin, Liam’s grin answering his.

Liam ducked down in the water as Stella came right to him, swimming directly into his chest and letting him hug her tightly, whispering into the damp ends of her hair how proud he was. _So proud_.

She seemed to notice then that her hair was still dry. She touched her hair and looked at the water, as if debating ducking her head under. Her eyes had a hint of fear in them, and Liam noticed.

“Want to hold my hand? You can squeeze it if you need to. It’s okay to be scared,” Liam told her. She nodded and took one of his hands in hers. Liam could hear her deep breaths, like she was trying to psyche herself up to do it. He had heard he take so many deep breaths, he almost wasn’t expecting it when the water closed over her dark hair. The grip on his hand tightened a bit, but then her head was popping back up a second later, grinning before she’d even wiped away the water to open her eyes.

“Again!” She squealed, smiling brightly. She ducked her head under again, the tight grip returning. She stayed under a heartbeat longer, and Liam felt his thud in his chest at the delay. But she popped back up with another grin, so he smiled back at her. He watched as she did this two more times, squeezing his hand before she let go. Liam felt his chest ache as he waited _three_ agonizing seconds for her to come back up, which she did.

“Go give Baba a hug, love. He looks like he might faint soon,” Liam chuckled when he glanced over at him. Stella nodded, swimming right to the beach all by herself, and Liam didn’t know he could feel this proud.

When Stella got close enough, she was wading through the shallow water, then running, _splashing_ , until she got to her father, who hauled her into the biggest hug Liam’s ever seen. Liam let them have their moment, choosing to swim further out to where Elijah’s been playing by himself.

“Hey, buddy,” Liam called. Elijah spun around in the water, not surprised to see Liam.

“Hi,” He said.

“Having fun?” Elijah nodded.

“Watch this,” He said, not giving Liam any time before he was ducking under the water. Liam was treading water. It was too deep for him to touch, but he wasn’t entirely sure _how_ deep. Liam’s chest grew more and more tight the longer Elijah was out of his sight. It wasn’t until a familiar head of dark hair popped up a few meters away that Liam felt like he could breathe again.

Elijah swam back with something in his hand. He held it out for Liam. It was a rock. Liam took it, running a thumb over the smooth surface. There wasn’t anything particularly special about this rock, but Liam didn’t want to ruin the boy’s fun.

“That was pretty cool, Elijah. You held your breath for a long time.” Liam said, feeling warm at the blinding smile Elijah threw at him. “How deep is the river here?”

“Deep, but not really deep. You could touch it easy. C’mon try!” Elijah encouraged. Liam nodded, then inhaled a big breath, just in case, and pushed himself under the water. It only took two big pushes with his arms before he felt his feet settle against the bottom. Liam stayed under for a few more moments until his lungs burned, then he pushed up off the bottom and broke through the surface a couple seconds later. He wiped at his face, turning around to look for Elijah, who wasn’t above the water.

A now familiar _swoop_ hit low in Liam’s gut, and it didn’t go away until Liam had eyes locked on the boy. Liam called a farewell, telling him to be careful as he swam back to shore, already feeling a bit tired. When he got back to the beach, he saw Zayn rubbing another layer of sunscreen into Stella’s easily burnt skin. He smiled at her and flopped down next to Zayn.

“I’m thinking like twenty or so more minutes and then we go eat. Little miss is getting hungry, huh?” Zayn said. Stella nodded, running back to the water as soon as Zayn let go. “Would you mind telling Elijah?” Zayn asked. Liam groaned.

“I just swam all the way out and back. You do it. I’m old and tired.” Liam complained without any heat.

“I’m older than you, Liam,” Zayn chuckled. “Please?” Well, when he bats his eyes like that, Liam can’t help but be reminded of Stella’s pouting face. Which, now that Liam thought about it, he and Stella do have the same colour eyes. Elijah, too.

“Yeah, babe,” Liam sighed. “I’ll be back in a bit.” He pressed a kiss to Zayn’s mouth, following Zayn down to the towels they had moved back to as he kissed him deeper. They hummed softly into the others’ mouth, not letting it get too heated, but just enjoying the kiss.

“You’re getting distracted,” Zayn mumbled against Liam’s lips.

“Can’t blame me, can you? Got a very sex man under me,” Liam said, pressing a lingering kiss before he stood up. Zayn looked good splayed out on the towel, thoroughly kissed. Liam told him so.

“Go tell my kid when we’re leaving,” Zayn huffed. Liam just laughed and walked back to the water. He eyed Stella as he went, making sure she seemed comfortable. He was glad to see that she wasn’t nearly as deep as her brother. When Liam was standing near her, he felt relieved to know that she could put her feet down and stand if she needed to.

By the time Liam got out to Elijah, told him he had fifteen minutes, and got back, Zayn was dozing in the sun. Liam couldn’t help but drop his dripping body onto Zayn’s, making him startle and groan under Liam’s weight.

“Get off me, you dick. You’re heavy!” He huffed, carding fingers through Liam’s wet hair. His gentle fingers contrasted with his demand, so Liam just shifted until he was a bit more comfortable before laying his head against Zayn’s chest. He could hear his steady heartbeat thudding in his ear, and it soothed him.

It wasn’t that much longer before Liam was calling Elijah in, corralling Stella, and herding her back towards her father. By the time Liam turned back around to call Elijah in again, he was already standing behind Liam with his shirt pulled back over his wet torso.

“You could’ve dried off,” Liam chuckled, tossing him a towel so he could pat down his hair and shorts before the got in the car. Elijah just shrugged, moving to grab his water from earlier.

They dried off and packed everything up, starting an easy conversation about where to have dinner. Liam suggested a local place that had a little bit of everything: burgers, chicken, even seafood. Liam had been a few times. It was nice and reasonably priced. They had easy conversation over dinner, the kids contributing less and less as the wound down after to big day. After they’d eaten, Stella and Elijah both curled up in the booth. Elijah had sat with Liam, while Stella was across next to Zayn. Before Liam knew it, Stella was asleep, curled up against her dad’s side, looking so sweet. Liam couldn’t help taking a picture.

Zayn insisted on paying, and Liam carried Stella to the car when they were stuffed full and about to fall asleep themselves. The walk to the car, as well as the drive to the hotel, was quiet. Liam looked back every few minutes expecting Elijah to be asleep, but he wasn’t. His eyes were heavy though, and Liam knew it wouldn’t be too long until they were both asleep.

Elijah was just barely awake when they got to the hotel, Zayn leading him into the elevator by his shoulder while Stella was passed out in Liam’s arms again. There was a wide mirror in the hall when they stepped out of the elevator that Liam caught a glimpse of the four of them in.

 _Family_ was what came to mind when Liam’s eyes flicked over the reflection. He smiled to himself as Zayn unlocked the kids’ room.

“You two are staying in here together, okay?” Zayn explained softly to his son as he pulled the tired boy’s shoes off. Elijah nodded sleepily. “My room is right through that door there, so if you need me at _any_ time, you can knock.” Another sleepy nod and Zayn pressed Elijah’s pajamas into his hands with a nod to the bathroom. While Elijah was busy in the bathroom, Zayn took the still-sleeping Stella and dropped her on her bed softly. He pulled off the clothes Stella had over her bathing suit from the chill in the restaurant. Liam averted his eyes when Zayn moved to pull off the swimsuit.

“Can you hand me her suitcase?” Zayn whispered. Liam nodded, picking up the small ladybug suitcase from the floor and unzipping it so Zayn could grab her clothes. Liam busied himself with hanging up the damp clothes and swimsuit Zayn passed to him, and when he turned back around, Stella was dressed in some comfy pants and a tshirt that had the Captain America shield on it. He smiled.

Elijah came out not long after with his swimsuit in hand. Liam took it from him easily and said goodnight. He hung up Elijah’s trunks with Stella’s damp clothes. He felt a warm hand low on his spine and repressed a shiver at the contact.

“C’mon,” Zayn whispered. He led them silently through the door and into Zayn’s room. The door let out a soft _snick_ that charged the air. All the unresolved tension from the river was suddenly heavy in the air. Just _looking_ at Zayn made Liam’s cock jump in his pants. They both stood, silent and unmoving, in the cool AC for several agonizing minutes before Liam’s mouth remembered it could make sounds.

“You mind if I shower?” He asked. His voice was already deeper, and he knew that if he looked in the mirror, his eyes would look black. Zayn shook his head, and Liam moved to his bag to grab some soap and the rest of his shower stuff. He purposely didn’t grab his clothes, something he knew that Zayn noticed as he walked to the in suite.

He showered quickly, used to the need for speed at camp, and he was stepping out less than ten minutes later to throw a towel around his waist. He used a hand towel to get the worst of the water out of his hair, but he skipped drying off his chest and torso. After adjusting the towel to sit a could centimeters under his v-line, he took a quick look in the mirror and walked back into the room.

For all the steps he went through to tease Zayn from the second he walked in, he wasn’t expecting to see Zayn, shirtless, on the bed, with a hand down in pants. Liam choked on the teasing words he had planned to say when he noticed the lazy rhythm of Zayn’s hidden hand.

“Fuck, Zayn,” Liam groaned. He hadn’t noticed Zayn’s eyes closed until they snapped open with his words. They ran up and over Liam’s torso and chest, lingering on his abs and the water droplets that raced each other down his tan skin. Zayn’s throat bobbed as he swallowed. He slowly removed his hand from his pants, leaving them obscenely tented, and stood up. Liam’s dick had shown attention from the moment he walked back in, but seeing Zayn slinking towards him had him growing under the towel. Zayn, of course, took notice of it.

“Couldn’t stop thinking of you, naked, in the shower,” Zayn said, voice rough. “Wanted to get my hands on you.”

“Should’ve joined me then,” Liam said. Zayn had stopped a few steps in front of Liam. He took a step closer to the shorter lad.

“Wasn’t sure I was invited.” Zayn took a step closer, leaving less than a meter between their chests. Zayn had to tilt his head slightly back at this point to continue making eye contact, and that alone had Liam groaning softly.

“Always invited, babe,” Liam murmured. “Wanna see your body, too.”

Zayn nodded, slowly becoming more and more frantic as he continued. Liam took a slightly large step to bring them chest-to-chest and pulled Zayn’s hips to his. He could just barely feel Zayn’s length through the towel, and he knew he couldn’t wait any longer.

“Fuck this,” Liam growled. He pulled his towel away at the same time as he pulled Zayn’s hips closer. The towel was trapped just above their knees, but all Liam could think about was the rough drag of Zayn’s shorts over his dick. He groaned and shuffled them towards the bed as he ducked down to meet Zayn’s lips. Zayn’s mouth was just as warm as when they were at the river, and Liam wanted to know what it’d feel like wrapped around him. Their kiss was hard and fast, noses bumping and tongues brushing as Zayn’s hands came up to tangle at the hair on the back of Liam’s neck. He shivered.

Having forgotten about the towel that was still between them as he walked them closer to the bed, he tripped over it, luckily close enough to come crashing down on the bed. Zayn yelped in surprise, but it turned into a groan as their foreheads bumped when they hit the mattress.

They were both flushed from arousal and embarrassment when Liam pulled back. He grinned crookedly at Zayn.

“Sorry,” He said, voice quiet. He pressed a kiss to Zayn’s forehead and slowly moved further down. He kissed his temple, the very sharp cheekbones, his cheeks, trailing a lingering kiss down his jaw to press a kiss to his chin. He had to scoot further down to continue, leaving a line of kisses down the side of his neck. Liam paused to suck on the juncture between his neck and shoulder softly that had been covered in ink. He smirked into Zayn’s skin when he heard the smaller man’s breathy moan.

Liam took his time, pressing his mouth against Zayn’s chest dozens of times, thumbing at a nipple randomly to keep Zayn’s abs tight. Every few kisses, Liam would lean back to take in more of Zayn’s ink. There were many things inked to the man’s chest including a pair of eyes that were shaped just like Elijah’s and a few skulls. When Liam lifted a hand from his waist to tickle over the skin just above Zayn’s shorts, he felt a huff of breath leave Zayn’s lungs.

“Feel good?” Liam asked against his ribs, pressing a couple kisses there as he waited for Zayn’s answer.

“Yeah, Li. _Fuck_. Feels great. Don’t have to tease though.” Liam just pressed his smile against dark skin and continued moving his ministrations further south. He felt the sharp jut of Zayn’s hipbone and sunk his teeth softly into the black heart inked over the bone. Zayn’s hand flew to Liam’s hair and he whined, high in his throat.

“Do you care if I leave marks?” He asked. It was a silly question considering all the ink that littered Zayn’s body, but it felt right to ask before he just assumed he could.

“No, yeah. Go for it,” Zayn said pressing fingers into Liam’s scalp. Liam didn’t say anything else, simply took the skin he’d previously bitten into his mouth again. He moved just to the left and nipped a bit harder, making Zayn’s hips jump off the bed, then settle as he soothed the pain with his tongue. He rolled the skin between his lips and teeth until he felt satisfied at the blossoming purple mark right next to the ink.

He used his index finger to hook the waistband of Zayn’s shorts and tugged them down, revealing smooth skin that was noticeably lighter than the rest of him. Liam knew he’d look the same, tan from the pool except under his shorts. Liam made quick work of leaving another mark next to the smattering of coarse, dark hair he uncovered. He felt Zayn wriggling under his lips, so he shifted his legs to the outside of Zayn’s to hold him still. With Zayn’s slim legs trapped between Liam’s thighs, there wasn’t much the man underneath him could do except take what Liam gave him.

Liam continued his way down Zayn’s body, dragging the waistband as he went. Zayn had to lift his hips up when they got caught between Zayn and the mattress. They bunched down easily after, revealing Zayn’s leaking cock. It was cut, Liam noted. He’d never been with a guy who was cut, but he had seen it on porn. He couldn’t tear his eyes away as he pulled the shorts all of way off and threw them without care where they landed.

Liam ran his hands up and down Zayn’s thighs, firmly palming the muscles that spasmed as Zayn waited patiently for what Liam would do next.

“What do you want, Zayn?” Liam asked, hands stilling but not moving away.

“God, Liam. _Everything_. Wanna get my hands on you. My mouth. Want you to fuck me until I can only remember your name,” Zayn groaned. He’d started squirming again, as if thinking about Liam doing these things to him made him unable to stay still. Liam could sympathize. His entire body was thrumming with need.

“Yeah, Z. Yeah, that sounds good.” Liam panted. He didn’t have but a second’s notice before he was under Zayn, back against the mattress. Zayn had flipped them. He was a _lot_ stronger than he looked. The thought alone made Liam twitch against his stomach.

The movement brought Zayn’s gaze down between his legs. Before Liam could even consider asking Zayn to _hurry the hell up_ , a hand was around his cock, stroking slow. His hands were warm.

“Fuck!” Liam’s voice echoed in the small room, and Zayn’s hand slowed even more.

“Gotta be quiet, Li,” Zayn’s voice had a hint of amusement in it. It took Liam a minute to remember there were two small kids on the other side of a thin wall, sleeping. _He had to be quiet_. He nodded frantically, melting back into the mattress with a sigh as Zayn picked up his speed again. “Feel so big in my hand, babe. Wanna get you in my arse _right now_.” He punctuated his sentence with a squeeze to Liam, and, Liam controlled his mouth enough to let out a low groan instead of the shout he had to stifle.

Liam regretted teasing earlier as Zayn neither sped up his hand, nor did he get a firmer grip. He simply ran a loose fist up and down Liam’s shaft. Just to tease further, every few strokes, he’d twist his hand over Liam’s head to drag his rough palm over the sensitive head. The first time he’d done it, Liam’s hips had shot off the bed. While he never knew _when_ to expect it, Liam had controlled his reactions enough to simply shudder every time Zayn did it after that.

“Zayn,” Liam whined. He didn’t care at this point how ridiculous he sounded. He just needed _more_. “C’mon.”

“What do you want, babe?” Liam’s foggy brain half-recognised the sentence he’d asked Zayn what seemed like an hour ago, but he didn’t know what to do with that information.

“Want your mouth.” He panted. Zayn’s eye brightened, and he said nothing before he was ducking down and swallowing half of Liam’s dick at once.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Liam’s voice was strained, fighting the volume his body wanted to produce. Zayn’s mouth popped off as his hand continued the loose pace from before. If he kept this up, Liam might literally _cry_. As if he were inside Liam’s head and could hear his thoughts, Zayn stilled his hand to grip the base and pressed a kiss to Liam’s tip before tightening his lips and pressing his head down, achingly slow.

It was all Liam could do to keep his hips planted on the bed and not flip them over and fuck Zayn’s face until he came. He was trembling with the effort, and he knew Zayn could feel it, but he wasn’t embarrassed. There wasn’t enough blood to spare in his body for his face to flush.

Zayn’s mouth moved deliciously over Liam’s dick, the wet drag of his tongue teasing the head on every bob up. On one particular bob up, Zayn didn’t press down again. Instead, he pulled back Liam’s foreskin to suckle at the head. Liam’s thighs shook violently, and he didn’t think he could stop them if he tried. Zayn _knew_ how to suck cock. That much was obvious from the increasing heat gathering in Liam’s groin. Zayn wrapped his hand around Liam to stroke firmly as his mouth kept assaulting the head of Liam’s dick. After a particularly hard suck that made Liam’s eyes roll back in his head, Zayn took the rest of his dick in his mouth, moving down steadily until his nose brushed against the freshly groomed hair.

“F-f-fuck,” Liam stuttered. If he didn’t know any better, Liam would think that was the only word he was capable of saying in this moment. The heat continued to build, soft waves crashing as he came closer and closer to the edge.

Zayn’s throat fluttered around the intrusion, but he didn’t back off, and he didn’t gag. His breathing was harsh against the base of Liam’s cock. Sometime between a few second and eight hours later, Zayn came up for a quick gasp of air before he went back down, all the way to the base again. When he deepthroated, his pace was torturously slow, like he _wanted_ Liam to go mad. It was a couple deep bobs and quick strokes later that Liam was pulling him off and up to crash their mouths together.

“Was gonna come,” Liam explained as he chased the taste of himself into Zayn’s mouth. He licked every inch of Zayn’s mouth until their tastes became one. Liam snuck a hand down between their bodies to wrap around Zayn as they made out. From where his forearm was pressed against Zayn’s abdomen, Liam could feel the muscles there jump at the first touch. Zayn sighed into Liam’s neck when he started pulling firmly. “Wanna get inside you before I come, yeah?” Liam said.

“Fuck, yes, Li. I’m ready.” Zayn scrambled to lay back down on the bed, legs falling open sinfully. Liam took a few moments to appreciate seeing him fully naked and laid out in front of him. The sharp narrowing between his ribs and his hips shouldn’t look as hot as it did, but Liam had always had a thing for thin, muscular guys. Watching Zayn’s muscles flex under the skin as he moved, Liam couldn’t help but compare him to every single one of his fantasies. Zayn was definitely better than his imagination.

After a not-so-subtle prompt from Zayn of ‘there’s lube and condoms in my bag,’ Liam was falling off the bed to search. He came back after a few moments, having dug to the very bottom of Zayn’s bag to retrieve the items. Liam’s brain helpfully supplied that Zayn would’ve had to pack these items _first_ , and Liam was pleased to know that Zayn assumed this would go exactly as Liam had.

He let a condom fall onto the bed as he popped the lid on the lube to coat a few of his fingers in the clear, slippery liquid. It was thick between Liam’s fingers when he shuffled onto the bed to settle in between Zayn’s still-spread legs. Liam could look at Zayn all day, especially in this position, but the ache in his groin and maddening arousal had Liam circling Zayn’s entrance eagerly.

At the insistent press of his finger, Zayn’s body opened up, and his finger slid in with ease, aided by the lube. He heard Zayn sigh in relief as Liam pressed further in. Liam’s finger twisted inside Zayn, changing angles occasionally to stretch him slowly. When Liam felt the tightness ease, he pulled out his finger to press two in. Zayn’s body was tense, and Liam pet his thigh softly to help him relax. He pressed kisses into the skin as he slowly moved his fingers deeper. Zayn’s breathing was getting heavier above him, and when Liam snuck a glance up at him, their eyes met. Liam couldn’t stop the smirk when Zayn groaned and flopped his head down.

“You look so hot like that,” Zayn huffed, a slight pout to his voice. Liam rolled his eyes and nipped at the sensitive flesh he’d been kissing softly, making Zayn yelp.

“Gotta be _quiet_ , babe,” Liam grinned. Zayn just glared at Liam until his fingers pushed in a bit more forcefully. Zayn’s glare immediately dropped off his face, and his eyes fluttered shut. “That’s what I thought.” Liam mumbled.

“What was that?” Zayn said.

“Nothing, love,” Liam snickered. He worked two fingers in Zayn firmly, widening his fingers a bit to help ease the stretch as he brought his mouth back to Zayn’s inner thigh. He quickly sucked a bruise there despite Zayn’s squirming.

Liam’s third finger joined the other two as Zayn relaxed. His fingers searched around for Zayn’s prostate, twisting and rubbing around. It didn’t take long to find. _Liam’s gone to the rodeo a few times before now_. He just barely brushed against it on a drag out. He knew when Zayn’s legs shook and twitched. So, when he pressed back in, he made sure to angle his fingers to hit that spot.

Zayn must’ve been expecting it, because he had a hand over his mouth when Liam glanced up. He pressed firmly against the nub, and Zayn’s whole body jumped. Liam caught the muffled moan and smiled. Liam easily kept brushing against his prostate alternating between firm jabs and light brushes, and sometimes even ignoring it. When Zayn’s legs were absolutely shaking, Liam pressed a kiss to the base of his dick. He whined.

Liam used his free hand to grip Zayn and hold him up while he sank his mouth down, never ceasing the movement with his fingers. Zayn’s breathing was harsh behind his hand, and, when Liam sucked on his next bob up, Zayn pulled him all the way off with a hand in his hair.

“How the hell are you so good at that?” He panted. “I’m ready. Fuckin’ ‘ell, I’m ready, Li. Get _in me_.” And what was Liam supposed to do? Say _no_? Never. He pressed against Zayn’s prostate once more to see his face scrunch with pleasure and pulled his fingers out slowly. He leaned down to wipe his hands on the towel so he could get a grip on the foil packet he’d abandoned earlier. He tore it open easily and pumped himself a couple times before rolling it down. After spreading a decent amount of lube over himself, he shuffled closer to Zayn and guided himself to rest against Zayn’s puckered skin.

“Ready?” Liam asked.

“I fuckin’ said so.” He huffed again. “Yeah.” Liam pressed forward, the skin easily opening up after the careful stretching from his fingers. The pressure against his head was enough to make Liam still, slightly overwhelmed. He took a deep breath to continue pushing forward, carefully watching Zayn’s face for any signs of discomfort.

A few seconds later, the front of Liam’s thighs were pressed to Zayn’s skin. He rutted against him carefully, not pulling out, but just moving, letting Zayn adjust. Liam could feel when Zayn relaxed enough that he could pull out. His first few thrusts were long and slow, letting Zayn get used to the feeling again.

“So warm, Z,” Liam breathed. “So tight. You feel so nice.”

“Faster, Leeyum,” Zayn groaned. Liam chuckled at the lengthening of his name but picked up the pace to a nice thrust. He slowed his pace back down for a few moments to press his lips to Zayn’s, expecting to pull back, but Zayn’s hand caught him and kept him there. He adjusted his hand to support himself with the change of position, and on his next thrust in, Zayn groaned against his mouth. “There.”

Again, Liam picked up the pace, aiming for that spot in Zayn that made his thighs shake where they’d come to press into Liam’s obliques. The sound of their skin meeting and harsh breaths were the only sound in the room. It echoed in Liam’s ears, and he couldn’t help but think they were being loud. However, he could feel the arousal burning in his gut, so he couldn’t bring himself to slow down.

Liam could feel Zayn tightening around his every few thrusts, letting Liam know he was getting close as well. He reached down between their bodies to grab Zayn’s dick, stroking it slow, then quickening it to match the pace of his hips. The arm that had been holding him above Zayn was shaking, but he was _so, so close_.

“Close,” Came Zayn’s strained warning. Liam’s grip tightened around Zayn as he thrust sharper, pounding into the man under him. Zayn was moaning almost constantly when his legs wrapped around Liam’s back to dig into the base of his spine. Liam felt Zayn tighten suddenly and a sharp ‘Liam!’ was the only other warning he got before Zayn was coming, white hot, over Liam’s fist. A few drops landed on Zayn’s belly as Liam pumped him through it, hips still pounding. Liam’s thrusts faltered as Zayn’s hole continued to flutter with the aftershocks, and Liam buried his face in Zayn’s neck to muffle his groan as he felt the wave he’d been chasing _finally_ crash over him. He squeezed his eyes shut so tightly he saw white, thrusts easing as he milked himself.

When he felt his dick give one last twitch, he groaned and gripped the base of the condom to pull out. He made quick work of tying up the end and tossing it into the trash next to the bed. Zayn was still on the bed, the only thing letting Liam know he was still awake was his open eyes that followed Liam’s movements as he bent to grab his towel. He wiped off Zayn’s drying come from his hand as well as Zayn’s stomach and let it fall back on the floor.

“C’mon. I’m ready for bed after all that,” Liam chuckled. He maneuvered Zayn’s pliant body until they were both settled under the sheets face to face. “Good?” He asked, carding a hand through Zayn’s sweaty hair.

“ _So_ good, babe. Gonna be feeling that for a couple days.” He chuckled. His voice was low, sexed-out. Liam pressed a kiss to Zayn’s pink mouth, letting their mouths move lazily together for a few minutes. Their breathing had evened out by the time their lips were tingling from kisses, and Liam slowly rolled Zayn over to press up against his back.

“What if _I_ wanted to be big spoon?” Zayn asked, teasing evident.

“Too bad, love. You’re the perfect size for little spoon.” Liam dropped a kiss to his shoulder easily, as if to prove his point, and noticed _more_ ink. “You’ve got tattoos here, too?” Liam groaned. He pressed his forehead into the fantail at the top of Zayn’s spine, feeling him shiver.

“Yeah, babe. ‘S like a treasure hunt. Gotta find all of them.” Liam grinned into the dark skin and chuckled. He rolled Zayn fully onto his stomach and pulled the duvet off to expose a couple extra tattoos. There was one that looked like a castle in the dip of his spine that Liam ran his thumb over in awe. It must’ve taken _hours_.

Liam ran his eyes higher, to the cursive behind his ear and the just-barely-recognizable rose that was partially covered by hair. He dragged his fingers through Zayn’s soft hair to get a better look at it. He made another mental note that Stella’s hair was just as soft as her dad’s. It made him smile.

“They’re beautiful,” Liam said, pressing a kiss to each piece of art he’d recently discovered. First his head, then the top of his spine, then the base. “I’m gonna brush my teeth before I get comfy again.” Zayn nodded into the pillow and followed Liam when he’d gotten up.

They brushed their teeth in silence, naked. Liam let his eyes wander to the superheroes on Zayn’s legs, accompanied closely by a large wolf and feather. Liam wanted to know the story behind all of them, big or small.

With clean teeth and minty breath, they both padded softly back to the bed in the middle of the room. They got comfortable again with Zayn’s back pressed firmly against Liam’s chest. Liam tucked his arm over Zayn’s waist, rubbing the pad of his thumb over the waistband of the black boxers Zayn had pulled on the chase away the chill of the AC. Liam kissed the back of Zayn’s neck.

“I don’t want this to end tomorrow,” Liam murmured. His lips were tickled by the little hairs at the base of Zayn’s neck. Zayn rolled over to face Liam.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I don’t want to say bye when you drive home tomorrow and not see you, Stella, or Elijah again. Or,” Liam interrupted softly when Zayn opened his mouth. “I don’t want to meet you as a _friend_.”

“Oh,” Zayn breathed. He seemed to be deep in thought.

“I don’t mean that we have to move in together or anything like that.” Liam assured. “But I want to continue seeing you, dating you. And if, in the near future we both feel like this could go somewhere, I’ll ask you to be my boyfriend.”

“ _Oh_ ,” Zayn said, even softer than before. His wide grin was enough to tell Liam that he at least felt a fraction of what Liam did, which settled his nerves.

“I could pretend you having kids doesn’t change the way this will go, but it will. And I’m okay with that. I’m okay with whatever you tell them until we’re sure about what we’re doing. If that means I’m just your friend, and theirs, until we become serious, that’s fine. They’ll always come first for and I understand. So, I wanted to tell you this while I have you all to myself: I want to continue you this if you do.”

“Of course, I do, you donut.” Zayn pressed a kiss to his mouth that was mostly just them smiling against each other.

“Not sure what I’ll do when you leave, babe. Stella has been my little buddy since day two. I love them so much.”

“You do?”

“I absolutely do. They’re great kids, smart and kind and fun. I’ll miss both of them when you leave.”

“Guess we’ll just have to call you, so you don’t forget their voices,” Zayn chuckled. Liam pulled Zayn into his chest for an awkward hug that neither of them wanted to end.

“I’d love that.”

They fell asleep like that, chest to chest. When Liam woke up a few hours later with a dead arm, he didn’t move. Zayn had stayed right up against him, still on his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Help. I’m literally trying to finish, but my brain keeps finding new little scenes I want to include and now this is 30,000 words and there’s still more I have to say!  
> I hope you enjoyed the longest-drawn out smut scene I've ever written. Coming in at almost 5000 words, I may have gotten a bit carried away. Soz.  
> (I'm totally not).


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end! Lots of cheese and fluff.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The long (It was so long, I'm sorry) awaited chapter, and ending, is here.  
> Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Two weeks later, when camp had officially finished, Liam was bummed that he’d have to pack up all of his stuff. However, he had a date set with Zayn to come over and hang out with the kids and him in a few days, so he wasn’t _too_ terribly upset. Zayn and the kids were what kept Liam from sobbing as he hugged all the friends he’d made goodbye. There were promises of ‘I’ll see you next summer’ that were whispered in between hugs and tears that Liam couldn’t repeat, unsure of where he’d be in a year’s time.

All he could focus on during his drive was that he was getting closer and closer to Zayn. They’d happily discovered about a week ago that Zayn lived in between Liam’s apartment and the university he’d be at this coming year. They’d made plans to meet, which involved Zayn giving him his address. When Liam had looked it up, he knew exactly where it was. He’d told Zayn, who made an offhand comment on a future sleepover at his house so Liam could sleep in. Liam knew it was a thinly veiled invitation to sleep with Zayn, knowing the kids would wake him up well before his alarm normally went off for school. He accepted the offer though, excited for the prospect of spending time with the kids and Zayn, and just Zayn.

He spent the whole day he got home unpacking and doing his washing. Once he’d unpacked and made a quick meal, he flopped back onto the bed to text Zayn.

**made it back home. didnt fall asleep, but almost ahaha**

He felt his eyes slipping closed at the mention of a nap, but the buzzing of his phone had them opening immediately.

**Glad you’re not dead in a ditch after falling asleep, babe. Xx**

Liam shot him a quick text to tell him he was taking a shower, a nap, and that he’d text him later. He got a simple kiss in response and, twenty minutes later, he fell into bed with warm skin that smelled of soap wearing only boxers. He didn’t even have time to roll onto his other side before he was asleep.

***

**> >> Three months later <<<**

“Elijah!” Liam called down the street. He could just barely recognise the dark green shirt the boy had on when he left, confirming it when the boy’s head whipped towards his voice. Two other vaguely human-shaped forms were on either side of him with skateboards. “Five minutes, lunch!” He waved his skateboard to let Liam know he’d heard, and Liam walked back inside.

The air was cooling off as summer officially moved out, making room for autumn. Liam had been enjoying the time all four of them had spent outside together recently. Whether they were enjoying easy conversation on the back porch, or playing made-up games in the front yard, Liam was content.

Liam found Stella at the table, colouring intently in a book. She didn’t pause in her furious shading of Ana-from- _Frozen_ ’s brown hair when Liam pressed a kiss to her hair. Zayn was making lunch in the kitchen. It smelled like chicken from what Liam could tell, but he wasn’t entirely sure.

“Need help?” Liam offered when he walked in.

“I’m just about done,” Zayn chuckled. “Did you call in Eli?”

“I told him five minutes, yeah.” Zayn nodded. Liam walked up behind his boyfriend and hooked his chin over the shorter man’s shoulder. “Smells good.”

“Thanks. I’m glad you could come over for lunch.” Zayn twisted to press a kiss to Liam’s lips.

“It’s Sunday. Don’t have anything better to do. Plus, I wouldn’t turn down a home-cooked meal.” They kissed lazily for a minute or two until the timer went off.

“Will you grab that?”

Liam hunted down an oven mitt to pull the broccoli from of the oven where it was being kept warm. Zayn pulled out four plates and placed his homemade chicken strips on plates. Each kid got two, while Zayn got three, and he gave Liam four. Liam scooped out the broccoli onto the plates when Zayn stepped away to grab the corn.

Liam and Zayn were carrying the plates to the table when Elijah raced through the door. He eyed the food as he came straight for the table.

“Hands,” Liam and Zayn both said at the same time. Elijah rolled his eyes but darted into the kitchen to wash his hands as the two men looked at each other and laughed.

“I’m thinking _Captain America_.” Zayn’s opinion on movie drifted down the hall, and Liam smiled to himself as he heard his feet pad closer. “I’m gonna take a quick shower. If you set up the movie, we can start as soon as I’m out.”

Liam rolled his eyes but nodded as Zayn darted into his bedroom. He knew Zayn would be gone for at _least_ twenty minutes, if not more. He had no idea how he spent that long in the shower. The only times Liam spent more than ten minutes in the shower is when he was especially tired, dirty, or when he and Zayn get distracted, extra skin visible and deliciously wet.

He heard the white noise of water start up five minutes later, after he’d found the requested DVD. He went through the familiar motions of setting Zayn’s TV up to play the movie, letting the previews play so he wasn’t sitting in a quiet room. He picked up a few toys that Stella had scattered earlier. They had all gone out to the driveway this afternoon to enjoy a rare, sunny autumn day, letting the kids draw all over the smooth pavement with chalk that Liam had found on sale a couple days before. The sun had worn them all out, and both kids had gone to bed after bathing without fuss.

Liam heard what sounded like the squeak of the bathroom faucet about five minutes later. He was curious, knowing Zayn wasn’t about to get out. He paused the movie, throwing the house in total silence after the explosions and gunfire of some random action movie. Liam was snickering to himself at the ridiculous face Dawyne “the Rock” Johnson was making on the frozen screen when Liam heard the sound again.

He stood up to follow it, pausing every few moments when he heard it again. It didn’t take him long to find the source: Elijah. He was asleep but didn’t look peaceful in the slightest. His brow was pinched together, and his hands, where they were visible on top of the sheets, were clenched into fists.

“S’op, don’!” He pleaded in his sleep. Liam sighed. After the second time this happened, Liam had asked Elijah what he wanted Liam to do if he noticed him in the middle of a nightmare: wake him up, or let him sleep? He hadn’t hesitated, pleading for Liam to wake him up.

“Elijah,” Liam murmured, softly rubbing a hand down the boy’s arm. “Elijah, wake up!”

“S’ella! No!” Liam could hear his voice crack, and Liam’s heart ached. He wished there were something he could do for this boy so he could sleep through the night every night.

“Elijah.” Liam’s voice was a bit louder. “Wake up buddy.” He wasn’t leaning over the boy, thankfully, when he shot into a sitting position, panting.

“Liam,” He breathed.

“Right here, love.” Liam didn’t need to ask if he needed a hug, just shuffled the boy further onto the bed so he could lay down next to him, rubbing up and down his back comfortingly. “You’re okay.”

“I’m sorry,” Elijah mumbled into Liam’s shirt.

“No, buddy. It’s okay. You can’t help the nightmares.”

“I tried to stop her. I really did, but she didn’t hear me. I wasn’t loud enough.” Liam’s breath caught in his throat. He’d known the dream was about Stella; they always are, and he’d called her name, but Liam didn’t know he was still blaming himself.

“Hey, remember what I told you?” Liam asked. He shook his head. “What happened wasn’t your fault, Elijah. Not at all.”

“Okay,” Came the miserable voice.

“Do you want some water?” Liam asked.

“Can…will you stay? Just for a bit?”

“Of course.” Elijah settled back down on his pillow. He was facing Liam, who immediately pressed his hand against the boy’s back again, rubbing up and down. It didn’t take him long to drift back off, but Liam stayed until he was sure the next squeaking sound he heard was Zayn turning off the water.

He’d been debating telling Zayn about his son’s nightmares for a couple weeks now. The feeling that he should returned stronger now that he knew the boy still blamed himself for Stella’s accident. Liam didn’t know the whole story, he hadn’t wanted to bring it up, waiting for Zayn to tell him when he’s ready, but he _knew_ it couldn’t possibly be Elijah’s fault.

So, he sat on the edge of the couch as he waited for his boyfriend, chewing on his lip. He’d picked that up from Zayn and the kids, curse them. Liam’s thoughts were turning, trying to come up with the best way to word it, how to bring it up. All he could see was Zayn’s face, pissed off, looking back at him as he explained the boy _who isn’t even your son,_ Liam’s mind supplied helpfully, felt a tremendous amount of guilt over an accident that wasn’t his fault. He could almost hear Zayn’s angry voice spitting back that _he already knew_ and _why’d Liam have to bring that up?_

He un-paused the movie in an attempt to distract himself, but it wasn’t working. His mind was twisting with ways to bring up Elijah’s guilt, mulling over wording and phrasing so he wouldn’t sound like an arsehole. He could say that Elijah was having trouble sleeping, but then Zayn might get defensive about why Liam had gone in there and hadn’t told Zayn. Liam could broach the subject by telling him that Elijah had come out for water and told Liam he’d had a nightmare. But what if he questioned the boy and their stories didn’t match?

Liam sighed and put his face in his hands. He rubbed vigorously, trying to come up with a way to let Zayn know Elijah was still feeling so guilty about that day. As usual, he couldn’t help the selfish thoughts that always hovered in the back of his mind. He didn’t want to piss Zayn off and be forced to leave.

“Babe?” Zayn’s voice startled him. “Okay?”

“Tired. Sun wore me out; I think I might be a bit burnt,” Liam said. The lie slipped out easily but left a bad taste in his mouth at how _easily_ Zayn accepted it. He swore in his head.

“I’d be shocked. You’re still quite tan from camp. Want me to check if you need after-sun cream?” Liam shook his head. Zayn was so sweet.

“Nah. If I am burnt, it’s not too bad.” Zayn shrugged easily and settled in next to Liam on the couch. It wasn’t much longer before the title screen came up. Liam got up to press play and they got comfortable to watch the film. They ended up stretched out the length of the couch, Liam’s spine pressed against the back of the couch with Zayn snug against his chest. It’s how they always ended up.

Zayn’s eyes were drooping by the time the credits started rolling, but Liam’s brain still hadn’t let up. After the end scenes were done, Liam turned the TV off and pulled Zayn to his sleepy feet, supporting the swaying man until he remembered how to stand. Liam held his hands and pressed a firm kiss to his lips. Zayn sighed against his mouth, not pressing any further. He was obviously too tired. Liam smiled despite himself and pushed Zayn by his hips into the bedroom.

They’d awkwardly dodged questions from the kids the first time Liam spent the night. He’d stayed on the couch to get the kids used to him sleeping over, but it was after a particularly intense orgasm a couple weeks later that they’d both passed out in Zayn’s bed.

When the kids came to wake Zayn up the next morning, Stella had launched herself onto the bed and landed on Liam. She had been happy to know that he had indeed spent the night, not having seen him on the couch.

Knowing they’d be woken up in a similar fashion, Liam pulled off everything but his boxers, as did Zayn, and they both climbed into bed. They cuddled close to each other and Zayn quickly fell asleep. Liam, not wanting to wake Zayn with his fidgeting, rolled away to stare up at the ceiling. It was at least an hour before his brain started to wind down, Zayn’s even breathing forcing the hypothetical conversation away for at least another day. Liam soothed a hand up and down Zayn’s muscular back where he’d ended up on his stomach. Eventually, the feeling of Zayn’s smooth skin and the even rise and fall of his back lulled Liam to sleep.

While Liam was over one day later that week, he saw a rare interaction between Stella and Elijah. Liam wouldn’t say Elijah goes out of his way to avoid his sister, but he definitely doesn’t make the same effort she does to spend time together. Zayn had told Liam that it was sudden. They had played together every day until Stella came home from the hospital, then nothing. Elijah had made every excuse he could think of to not play with his sister, until he stopped. He’d stopped making excuses and instead, simply started turning her down and leaving the room.

Stella had never stopped inviting her brother to do things, despite his dismissive behaviour. Whether it was playing a game outside, or joining her for painting or colouring, Stella always invited her brother. Today was no different.

They’d both been getting antsy. It had rained for the last four days, so they were stuck inside yet again. Stella sighed for the tenth time in as many minutes.

“Eli?” She asked. He paused the game he was playing on his phone to glance up at his sister. “I’m bored with colouring. Will you help me do a puzzle?”

“Not right now,” Elijah mumbled. Liam expected it, but still felt the same pang of sadness he was sure Stella felt when the boy continued his game as he walked to his room.

“C’mon, Stella-Wella. _I’ll_ help you,” He grinned goofily until she was laughing. He let her pick the puzzle, even though she picked the same one every time. If it kept the smile on her face, he’d do the damned puzzle ten times in a row.

***

As Liam stayed the night more and more to “be closer to uni,” _at least that’s what they’re telling the kids for now_ , they fell into an easy routine. Last year, with both kids in primary school, Zayn had taken them easily on his way to work. Now, with Elijah having moved onto secondary school, and Zayn at a third school, they were all over town.

Therefore, when Liam stayed the night, which was essentially every night he didn’t absolutely _have_ to be in his apartment, they both woke the kids up for school, got them dressed, fed, and out the door. Liam drove Elijah to secondary school, while Zayn took Stella. On the days Liam didn’t get out of class early, like today, he’d even pick Elijah up on his way back.

“Hey, bud,” Liam greeted as Elijah climbed into the backseat.

“Hi!” The boy grinned. He buckled his seatbelt as Liam pulled out, merging with traffic to get onto the road.

“How was school?”

“It was good. How was school for _you_?”

“It was fun. We talked about our interpersonal communication skills and theories of education.”

“I don’t know what that means,” Elijah laughed.

“Interpersonal communication is what we’re doing right now. Just talking.”

“Well that seems easy.”

“It is, but there are many ways you can talk to people. Like, the way I talk to my professors is different than how I talk to you. And how I talk with you is different from how I talk to your baba,” Liam explained.

“I like talking to you. You’re easy to talk to,” Elijah said. Liam felt his heart swell.

“Thanks, buddy. I like talking to you, too,” Liam glanced in the mirror at Elijah, who was already grinning at him. Liam smiled. “What’d you learn today?”

“We’re getting ready for a quiz. We’re reviewing long division and multiplication before we move onto fractions.”

“Do you feel ready?”

“Yeah. Sometimes I forget some of the harder multiplication facts, but I think I’ll do well.”

They rode in silence for a few more minutes, steadily getting closer to the house, when Elijah seemed to remember something.

“Oh! Dylan and Owen said they were going to skate when they got home. Can I go with them?”

“You should ask your baba, but I don’t see why he’d say no. Especially if you had all your homework done by the time he gets home,” Liam raised his eyebrows in the rearview mirror to emphasize the hint. Elijah nodded.

“I will.”

Elijah seemed content without conversation after that, so Liam turned the radio on. He hummed softly to a song he vaguely recognised as he turned down their street. The second the car was in park and the doors unlocked, Elijah was out of the car and running towards the house. Liam rolled his eyes. He did this every day, and he still hadn’t gotten it in his head that _Liam had to unlock the door_.

Elijah set himself up at the table with his homework while Liam searched around in the kitchen for something to give as a snack. He found a banana that was beginning to turn a bit brown, so he peeled and cut it up, along with some crackers and cheese. He brought the plate to the boy and swiped a couple pieces of banana when he set it down.

“Thanks,” Elijah told him. Liam settled down opposite of the floppy-haired kid to do some of his own homework, and they worked in a comfortable silence for about thirty minutes. Elijah had gotten up to go to the toilet, and, when he came back, he had a frown on his face.

“What’s wrong, buddy?”

“Dylan got grounded, and Owen’s mum said he can’t skate,” Elijah sighed. He dragged his feet back to the table and continued his homework, the frown never leaving.

“I can skateboard,” Liam informed the boy. He let Elijah connect the dots on his own.

“Do you want to come skate with me?” Elijah asked. “You know, when we’re done.”

“I’d love to,” Liam grinned. He mentally patted himself on the back as Elijah’s smile returned to his face as they continued to work.

Not much later, the door opened again, Stella’s excited voice announcing her and Zayn’s return.

“Leeyum!” She called.

“Stella!” Liam called back, seeing her round the corner. Her eyes fell on Liam, and she galloped over to him. He easily picked her up and placed her on his lap, cuddling her tightly. “How was school? Did you learn something?”

“No,” She said. She reached across the table to Elijah’s abandoned snack. She paused until Elijah looked at her, cocking her head in a silent question. When the boy nodded and pushed the plate a centimeter closer to her, she grinned and took the plate with a quick ‘thanks.’

“What do you mean, ‘no,’ Stella? Your teachers aren’t teaching you anything?”

“Nope!” She chirped around a mouthful of cracker.

“Maybe I should have a word with them.”

“Nooo!” She giggled. “It’s just boring stuff. Like subtraction. I already _know_ how to subtract.”

“What’s ten take away three?” Liam asked.

“Seven. That was easy.”

“Alright,” Liam paused thoughtfully. “What’s fifteen take away six?”

“Nine,” Stella said, only pausing for a second. “Gimme a hard one!”

“Okay, okay. Do twenty-six take away eighteen.” Stella paused for a second, thinking. She was quiet for a bit longer, letting Liam know he found her challenge level.

“Eight?” She asked.

“Yes! Good job.” Liam said. He pressed a kiss to the grinning girl’s cheek. “Guess you’re just a subtraction expert.” She nodded seriously before she climbed off her lap and ran down the hall. His eyes followed her until a larger shadow caught his attention.

“Hey,” Zayn greeted with a smile. He set both hands down on Liam’s shoulders and squeezed. Liam groaned softly.

“Hey, Z,” Liam grinned up at him. He wanted Zayn to lean down and kiss him but knew he wouldn’t. He did feel a flash of satisfaction when he saw Zayn’s eyes dart down to his lips, though. “How was school?”

“Good. Kids all turned in their projects.” Liam nodded.

“I’m sure they all did great.”

“Yes, but I’m not looking forward to the amount of time I’ll be stuck marking them.” Zayn rolled his eyes, and Liam chuckled. He settled further into the chair as Zayn’s hands started kneading. Liam sighed encouragingly when Zayn found a knot under his shoulder blade. When Liam felt the tension ease, he leaned his head back again to blink his thanks to his boyfriend.

“Baba?” Elijah called, noticing the lull in their conversation.

“Yeah, bud?” They both shifted their eyes to the boy across from Liam.

“Can Liam and I go skating? I’m almost done with my homework.” His eyes were big and pleading. Liam wondered if Elijah knew they did that when he asked for things.

“You’ve already asked Liam, I’m hoping?” Zayn chuckled.

“Yep! He said he’d go.”

“Well who am I to say no to such a well-thought-out plan.” Zayn’s hands slipped from Liam’s shoulders as he moved into the kitchen. Liam and Elijah high-fived.

“I need to change, and I’ll be back. Let me know when you’re ready,” Liam said. Elijah nodded and focused back on the pages in front of him. Liam followed his boyfriend into the kitchen, away from little eyes.

“Hey,” He greeted again, softer.

“Hey, babe,” Zayn said. Liam walked right up to him and, after a brief pause to let his eyes flit over his face, pressed their lips together. Zayn hummed, melting into the kiss. “Missed you.”

“Missed you, too,” Liam said. He wrapped his arms around Zayn, just holding them and swaying lightly until they heard Elijah shuffling.

“Liam, I’m done!” He called.

“Alright, mate. I get the hint. I’ll go change,” Liam called back. Zayn chuckled. After a quick kiss, Liam turned to grab some comfier clothes.

He settled for a long-sleeved shirt and pants to counteract the slight breeze of the cool day. When he met Elijah, he had on a long-sleeved shirt and shorts. Liam grabbed Zayn’s skateboard and called a quick ‘see you later’ into the house as they headed outside.

They made their way up the street a few blocks, hanging a left to head towards the park. It was mostly quiet puffing of air between the two of them, having talked a lot already about their day.

It took them a little less than thirty minutes at a decent clip to get to the park. When they got there, Liam had worked up quite a sweat despite the cool air and pulled off his shirt. He tucked the fabric into the waistband of his shorts and offered to grab the two of them waters. Elijah nodded.

They sat on their boards and sipped some of their water until they decided to keep going. They stayed close by, not wanting to get further away from the house. Liam had to stop skating for a moment when sweat dripped into his eye, leaving it stinging.

“Hang on, Elijah,” Liam called. They boy stopped easily and rolled back. Liam grabbed his shirt and pulled it out to wipe at his forehead. He ran it over the back of his neck as well before tucking it back where it had been.

When he glanced up at Elijah to ask if he wanted to keep going, he saw the boy using the hem of his own shirt to wipe above his brows as well. Liam caught an angry mark on the boy’s abdomen and found himself tugging the boy off his skateboard to investigate further.

“What happened, Elijah?” Liam asked, motioning to the puffy, uneven skin that marred the skin on his ribcage. Upon closer inspection, Liam was relieved to find that it was a scar, not a recent injury, but it looked angry, like it had just healed. It was a bit smaller than the palm of Liam’s hand, but it was disconcertingly large against the boy’s wiry body. He was thin, just like his dad.

“Oh, it’s a burn,” Elijah said it so nonchalantly that Liam felt a bit silly for having not noticed it earlier. He _did_ swim in the pool with the boy for three weeks _and_ at the river. Maybe he had just been too focused on Zayn.

“When did you –?”

“When Stella…” He trailed off, looking at the ground. “Yeah. Then.”

“Oh,” Liam said. “Well, thank you for telling me.” Elijah grinned at him, then climbed back on his board to roll away from a chuckling Liam. He pushed himself after the boy, enjoying the cool air against his heated skin.

When they were both sufficiently sweaty, they made their way back to the house with Elijah in the lead. Liam had no idea where this boy got so much energy from. He nearly collapsed with relief when the house came into view. His legs felt like jelly.

Immediately when they walked in the door, Elijah went to ask Zayn when dinner would be ready. Zayn told the boy about thirty minutes, so Elijah went to take a shower.

“Where’s Stella?” Liam asked.

“Playing in her room.” Zayn said. Liam hugged Zayn from behind as he stirred something in a large pot. “You smell.” Liam chuckled, but moved back a few steps before Zayn caught his wrist.

“What?”

“I didn’t say you had to _move_.” Zayn said. Liam smiled and returned to his previous position, inhaling the smell of the food and Zayn.

“What are you making?”

“It’s an eggroll-type dish. The recipe is right there.” Zayn pointed to a piece of paper Liam hadn’t noticed before. He grabbed it before returning his arms around Zayn. He peered over the thin shoulder to read.

“It’s got sausage in it. I thought you didn’t eat pork?”

“I just substituted it with lamb,” Zayn shrugged. Liam hummed. “Want to try?”

“Yes, I’m about to _starve_ ,” Liam moaned dramatically. Zayn just rolled his eyes and held up a forkful of the mixture. “Mmm! That’s good!” Liam praised. He gave Zayn a quick kiss and took the utensil to steal another forkful.

“Save some for the rest of us,” Zayn laughed, reaching for the fork.

“But it’s so good, I don’t want to share!” Liam exclaimed. He stole another forkful and was going for a fourth when Zayn picked him up and twisted until Liam was away from the pot. Zayn didn’t show his strength often, but when he did, _damn_ was it hot.

“Elijah might fight you if you steal all his food,” Zayn laughed, ducking in for a kiss. Liam returned it, squawking when he the fork was ripped out of his hand.

“You distracted me with kisses!” Liam accused.

“I did, and it worked.”

After they’d eaten, Liam jumped in the shower quickly while the kids got settled. They had agreed to watch a _short_ movie that Stella would undoubtedly fall asleep during since it was a school night.

By the time Liam was out and dressed, the kids were settled on the couch while Zayn finished loading the dishwasher. Liam intercepted him.

“Let me finish this. Go start the film.” Liam said. He kissed Zayn firmly, backing him out of the room. He pulled back just before they rounded the corner and pushed Zayn towards the kids. “Go.” He whispered. Zayn just smiled at him.

Liam made quick work of loading the dishwasher. He set it to run in a few hours to give Zayn time to shower if he needed to and joined Zayn and Stella on the couch. Elijah had chosen to sit in the chair across the room. The movie was some random kid thing that Stella had picked out. Liam couldn’t be bothered to pay attention when he saw Zayn’s hand inching closer under the blanket. Stella was curled into Zayn’s right side, so Liam shuffled closer and took Zayn’s left hand in his. He couldn’t help the butterflies in his stomach, feeling like a teenager holding hands with a boy on his parents’ couch.

Just as he suspected, Stella dropped off about twenty minutes into the film. They left her, letting the movie finish before they got up. Fifteen minutes later, as the credits rolled, Zayn picked up the sleeping girl and carried her to bed.

“Night, Liam,” Elijah said. He moved over for a timid hug that Liam easily returned.

“Night, Elijah,” Liam kissed his hair. “Sleep well.” It was a parting phrase that Liam sent him to bed with every night. Most of the time, it worked.

When Zayn came back to the couch after he’d tucked Stella in and popped into Elijah’s room to say goodnight, Liam sat facing him. He took Zayn’s hands in his, just holding them, and pulled the darker-haired man into his chest. They sat in silence for a while, breathing together.

“Want to watch a movie?” Zayn asked. Liam nodded, letting Zayn go so he could pick one to play. When the title screen came up, Liam smiled at the familiar _Iron Man_ intro. They’d both watched this too many times, but it had kind of become _their movie_.

“Why does Elijah’s scar look so much different than Stella’s?” Liam asked him as he settled back down on the couch.

“What do you mean?” Zayn grabbed the blanket that was draped over the couch and arranged it over their legs. He pressed his cold toes into Liam’s calves, making him hiss and threaten to move.

“I mean,” Liam said, thinking about how to word it. “Stella’s scars are just barely pink, and they aren’t raised or anything.”

“Yeah, that’s ‘cause of her compression garments and lotion and such. They help the scars be less prominent and dark when they’ve healed.”

“But Elijah’s scar is puffy. And it’s so dark its nearly red.” Liam frowned. “Does it not work for everyone, or –?” Liam trailed off when he wasn’t sure how to continue. He felt uneasiness in Zayn. His muscles were tense, and his eyebrows were furrowed deeply.

“What scar?” Zayn’s voice was low.

“The scar over his ribs,” Liam gestured to roughly the same spot on his torso. Zayn’s gaze flicked up to Liam’s, and it was then that he realised the problem. “You didn’t know…” Liam whispered. There was desperation in Zayn’s eyes as they moved away, only to snap back with anguish swirling in the dark irises. Zayn shook his head.

“I saw it today while we were skating.” Liam said, voice equally as soft.

“What –?” Zayn’s voice cracked. “Why wouldn’t he –?” Zayn was off the couch, walking down the hall. Liam caught up to him easily and tugged him back, away from Elijah’s door.

“No, no, babe,” Liam said softly. He pulled him outside, the sliding door opening with a _swish_. Liam closed it with barely a sound and pulled Zayn into his chest. “You’re upset right now. If you go in there, you might scare him.”

“You’re damn right I’m upset, Liam,” He exclaimed, voice quietening when Liam put a hand up. “I didn’t know my own son had been _burnt_!”

“He didn’t tell you either, babe. You can’t blame yourself.”

“ _And_ he didn’t tell me!” Zayn pulled away from Liam to pace out into the yard. His footfalls were heavy against the dry grass. There was a sharp nip to the air as winter approached, but Liam had figured it’d be good to help Zayn cool down. “I should’ve _known_ , Liam! But why didn’t he tell me?”

“He seems to not talk about a lot of things,” Liam mused lightly. Zayn’s steps faltered, and he spun on his heels to level a look at Liam that made him wish he’d just kept his mouth shut. Liam tried to read the emotion on Zayn’s face. There was concern there, with an undercurrent of disbelief. He caught a glimpse of fear just as Zayn spoke again.

“Like what?”

“Like his nightmares. I’ve never seen him talk with you about them.”

“I know about the nightmares, Liam,” Zayn sighed. “I noticed them the first night I stayed in the house after the accident. But I can’t help someone who won’t talk about them. Won’t tell me about them.” Liam furrowed his eyebrows.

“What?” Liam rubbed his forehead. “He’s told _me_ about them.” Liam head was buzzing with confusion.

“He told you about his nightmares?” Liam nodded. “What did he say?”

“He, um,” Liam paused.

“No, Li, please tell me.”

“No, I am – I will. I’m just trying to figure out how to word it.”

They were quiet for a moment, Zayn picking up his pacing again as he waited for Liam to collect his thoughts.

“Come here,” Liam called. Zayn walked up and Liam wound his arms around Zayn’s torso.

“Li,” Zayn’s voice cracked. “Please.” Liam nodded, steeling himself.

“They’re about that day. Of course they are.” Liam starts. “But, and I don’t know exactly what happened other than a few bits and pieces, he talks in his sleep. One night at camp, I was helping watch the kids, and I heard him talking. He kept calling out in his sleep, like ’No!’ or ‘Stop!’ and he said Stella’s name a couple times and when he woke himself up, he cried, Z. He _sobbed_. And…he apologised.”

“Apologised for what?”

“Zayn, he feels guilty. And-and I think that’s why he’s so distant with Stella. I know you told me they used to be super close. I think that Elijah’s guilt manifested itself in a disconnected way. He cares for Stella, so much. I could see it in the way he fought that kid at camp when he was teasing her. He loves her, but he feels guilty, so he distanced himself from her.”

“I get that, but why is he guilty?” Zayn shook his head, turning away. Liam heard him take a deep breath, and when he let it out, it was shaky.

“He told me it was his fault,” Liam blurted. Zayn spun around, eyes wide.

“ _What?_ ”

“That day – the accident,” Liam clarified. “Elijah told me it was his fault.”

“No! God, no!” Zayn exclaimed. He ran a hand through his hair. “It _absolutely_ isn’t, Liam!”

“I know, babe. I know. But,” Liam paused.

“But?”

“But _I’m_ not the one who needs to hear you say that,” Liam said. Zayn’s face froze as his words hit. The emotions on his face came and went so quickly that Liam wasn’t able to pinpoint them all. He caught anger, (probably at himself) denial, (probably at the situation) and sadness. Liam had about a seconds’ notice to wrap his arms around Zayn again before he was sobbing.

“Oh, fuck. I fucked up. It’s not his fault, Li,” Zayn hiccupped.

“I know, Zayn. I know. You’ll tell him. It’ll be okay,” Liam soothed. He hauled them back to the porch so they could sit down. Zayn’s skin, heated from crying, chased the chills away that had been creeping up Liam’s arms. His hand, as if with a mind of its’ own, ran up and down Zayn’s spine as his sobs died down. “He’ll be okay.”

They came back inside after Zayn had calmed down and curled up in bed together, movie ejected and abandoned. The conversation continued in hushed voices when they were settled. They agreed that the next time Elijah had a nightmare, Zayn would comfort the boy. Hopefully, he’d bring it up with his dad, so Zayn would have the opportunity to alleviate some of the guilt his son felt.

The next few days were tense. Zayn had been a bit more _aware_ of Elijah. He was more aware of where he was and what he did, waiting for the perfect time to intercept him and soothe his worries. Liam was sure that Zayn had practiced how he’d tell Elijah at least fifteen different ways, which obviously meant it would go _nothing_ like he expected. It always happened like that.

***

Three nights after their conversation in the yard, Elijah came into Zayn’s bedroom, face flushed and covered in dry tears. His eyes were red, and, even in the dark of the room, Zayn immediately could sense something was wrong before the boy had a chance to speak. Zayn sat up from where he’d been dozing, jarring Liam into alertness.

“Wha’s wrong?” Liam asked. The light from Zayn’s lamp flooded the room, making them squint until their eyes adjusted. They saw Elijah standing there trembling, but as soon as Zayn moved, Elijah found his voice.

“Liam,” He sobbed. Zayn froze, gaze moving to Liam, who was instantly next to the upset boy.

“Hey, bud, what’s wrong?” Liam saw his eyes dart to Zayn, and Liam felt bad for both of them. Each of them was hurting, and what they needed was each other. “Do you want some water?” Elijah just nodded and followed Liam out of the room.

Elijah didn’t pause in the kitchen, so Liam followed him back to his bedroom. They both climbed onto Elijah’s bed as normal. Liam opened his arms when they were settled for the boy to fall into. His breaths were becoming shaky, and Liam rubbed his back.

“You’re okay, Elijah,” Liam said softly. “Do you want to talk about it?” Liam saw a shadow in the hall, easily recognizing the shape of Zayn’s shoulders. He was outside the room, undoubtedly listening.

“Was the same as normal,” Elijah sniffled. “I kept trying to stop her, but she couldn’t hear me. When I tried to move closer, I tripped over my shoes and fell. I could hear her screaming. It was so loud, and she wouldn’t stop. It hurt my ears. I couldn’t stop her. Sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologise, love,” Liam murmured.

“But I could’ve stopped her! I _should’ve_ stopped her. It’s all my fault; I should’ve been louder, or quicker. I’m sorry.” He hiccupped just as Zayn crossed the threshold of the door, eyes brimming with tears too.

“Elijah, buddy,” Zayn murmured. Elijah jumped, having not expected to hear his dad’s voice. Zayn climbed in on Elijah’s other side, regardless of the tight fit. “C’mere.” Elijah paused, but clambered over Liam’s lap to lay against his father’s chest. Zayn held him for a few minutes, whispering words that Liam couldn’t hear.

“Will you tell me what’s going on?” Zayn asked quietly.

“I keep seeing it,” Elijah admitted. “I keep watching it happen. Again and again.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Zayn asked. There was no hint of accusation in his voice, just gentle concern. Liam felt Elijah shrug from where they were still pressed close.

“I’m gonna let you two talk,” Liam breathed as he tried to extract himself from the bed.

“No! Stay!” Elijah whipped his head up to plead, quiet but insistent. Liam immediately settled back down, throwing an arm around Zayn to rub at Elijah’s shoulder.

“What else happens in your dreams?” Zayn coaxed.

“Sometimes, if I don’t wake up, you get mad at me,” Elijah whispered.

“What do you mean?” Liam could hear the tremor of Zayn’s voice, like he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know the answer. Liam laid his head on Zayn’s shoulder, hoping to give him some comfort, too.

“Like, you’ll yell and stuff. I don’t really remember what you say, but when I wake up it always makes me feel bad.” Zayn let out a breath.

“Feel bad how?”

“Like I feel bad ‘cause I should’ve stopped her. Like it’s my fault,” He finally admitted, voice barely audible. Zayn hugged the boy tightly, not speaking for a minute. Liam knew he was turning the words over in his head and beating himself up.

“Elijah, I want you to look at me.” Zayn said, voice quiet, but firm. Elijah’s head popped up, and their teary gazes met. “What happened was _not_ your fault, okay? I don’t blame you. I never have and never will. Stella doesn’t blame you either. I know you both have good fire safety skills. You’re both smart. Nobody blames you because it _wasn’t your fault_. It was an accident. No one’s fault.”

Elijah had started shaking after Zayn’s first declaration. By the time he was done, the boy was nodding into his father’s chest, sobbing openly.

“I love you _so_ much, Eli,” Zayn said. “You’re so strong, and I hate that you’ve been dealing with these feeling all by yourself. I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything, okay?”

“Okay, baba,” Elijah said. His voice was hoarse from the tears, but they all breathed a bit easier.

Elijah’s breathing evened out about five minutes later, but they still didn’t move. It seemed that Zayn really just needed to hold his son. Right about the time Liam was going to suggest they bring him back to bed with them, Zayn shuffled Liam to the edge and they both stood up. Zayn carefully placed the sleeping boy back in his bed, covering him up. Liam heard a few hushed words that sounded like a different language. Zayn whispered them into Elijah’s hair before he kissed his forehead.

Liam felt like lead as they climbed back into bed. Zayn immediately pressed himself against Liam’s chest when they got settled, exhaling deeply. Liam pressed kisses into Zayn’s hairline.

“Did great, babe,” Liam whispered. “I really do think that hearing you say that helped ease his mind.”

“I love you,” Zayn said. Liam froze.

“What?” Zayn lifted his head to face Liam.

“I love you.” He said. It was clearer this time, Liam unable to deny the words. He grinned.

“I love you, too.” Zayn let out another breath like he’d been holding it, and they both laughed like they were in shock.

They laid in silence for a few minutes with Zayn laying on Liam’s chest where he’d rolled onto his back.

“Thank you,” Zayn murmured.

“For what?”

“For being there for Elijah when I couldn’t. For helping ease his mind, even for a bit. For loving my kids like they were your own.” Zayn said, voice growing softer. “Thank you for everything.”

“I love them. I love them both so much. Thank you for _letting me_ love them.” Liam grinned into Zayn’s hair. “Thanks for letting me love you.”

They both fell asleep shortly after, minds and hearts eased.

The next morning, Zayn made sure to be the one to wake up Elijah. He shook him awake but climbed into bed with him when his eyes fluttered open.

“Baba?” The boy asked.

“Hey, Eli,” Zayn said. “Can we talk a bit more about last night?”

“Yeah.”

“I meant all of what I said. I don’t blame you, and neither does your sister. We both love you very much.”

“I love you, too.”

“Is that why you haven’t been playing with Stella?” Zayn asked after a few moments. “Because you felt guilty?” Elijah nodded again Zayn’s chest.

“I miss playing with her, but I can’t look at her without thinking of that day and thinking of my dreams.”

“It is hard, bud,” Zayn admitted. “She’s different than before, but only how she looks. She still loves you, and I bet she misses playing with you, too.”

“Won’t she think it’s weird if I’m suddenly nice to her again?”

“Maybe, but I know she’d be glad to spend some time with you. Just start small,” Zayn said. “That’s all you can do. It’ll get better, and we’ll all move on from it.”

“Okay,” Elijah said. His voice alone sounded better, livelier.

“There’s one more thing,” Zayn said. Elijah looked up at him as he twisted his body to grab the tube he’d placed there before he woke his son up. “Here.” Elijah stared at the tube Zayn had given him, furrowing his eyebrows.

“What’s this?”

“It’s cream for burns,” Zayn explained. “It helps them heal. Rub it in when you wake up and before you go to sleep until it’s all gone.” Elijah’s eyes widened.

“How –?”

“Liam told me. I hope you’re not mad. He didn’t know I didn’t know,” Zayn said. “While I am a bit upset that you didn’t tell me about it, I’m not upset with you. I just wanted to give this to you if you wanted it. It should help the skin smooth out, as well as help the colour fade a bit lighter.”

“Will you help?” Elijah asked. Zayn _knew_ Elijah didn’t need help. Not like Stella had needed to get her torso and the backs of her thighs. This was Elijah’s way of allowing Zayn to be a part of the healing process, mentally and physically. Now, whether he knew what it meant or not, Zayn wasn’t sure. Maybe he just wanted his dad to see the scar so he could swim without sneaking in or out of the water while he was distracted.

“Of course,” Zayn said. “I’ll show you.”

When Elijah pulled up his shirt and Zayn got a glimpse of the scar, he had to bite his tongue to keep from gasping. Liam had been right: it did look angry. He didn’t stare, instead, he opened the tube.

“You don’t need a lot,” Zayn explained. He squeezed the ointment onto his fingers and showed Elijah how much he was using. “It’s a bit bigger than a pea you’d eat at dinner.” His son nodded.

“It might be cold, but not for long,” Zayn warned. When his fingers pressed into the scar, it was squishy. He swiped the ointment all over the scar, even over the edges. “Rub it until you can’t see it anymore, and, when I was using it on Stella, I’d go just a bit off the scar so it heals all the way to the edge.”

“Okay.”

It took a couple minutes to get it all absorbed into the skin. When Zayn was done, he smiled at Elijah.

“Alright. I’m going to leave this in here. I’ll let you get dressed and see you in a bit for breakfast.”

“Thanks, baba,” Elijah called when Zayn was at the door.

“Anytime, kiddo.”

***

“I think we should tell them.” Liam jumped a bit. He’d thought Zayn was asleep. He knew Zayn well enough to know what he was talking about immediately but needed to be absolutely sure. He needed Zayn to say it.

“What do you mean, love?” Liam asked. He rolled over to face Zayn, who looked as far from sleep as Liam felt after hearing Zayn’s statement. He could already feel his heartbeat pick up in anticipation, the offending organ conveniently ignoring the fact that it was nearing one in the morning and the conversation was at the very least a night and a full school-day away.

“I want to tell the kids about us.”

“You sure?” Zayn’s hand, warm from their collective body heat, came up to rest against Liam’s cheek, who leaned into the touch ever so slightly. Liam responded with a hand in the dip of Zayn’s waist, pulling him closer without any effort.

“Yeah.” And that was the end of the conversation. Liam moved his head closer to Zayn’s, pressing their chests together. Zayn closed the last few centimeters, allowing their lips to tangle together. Their bodies mirrored, and it would’ve been impossible to tell where one ended and the other began in the dark room.

They flitted nervously around the house the next morning, very aware of where Stella and Elijah were in the house. Unconsciously, Liam found himself squeezing Zayn’s hip, shoulder, hand, wrist, bicep, _anywhere_. It was as much of a comfort to Liam as it was for Zayn, a silent _I’m here_ and _I’m scared, too_. The dull buzz of nervous energy only grew into a riotous churning in Liam’s stomach as the morning progressed that left him half-hoping he’d vomit just to get rid of the feeling.

When Elijah and Stella finally emerged from their respective rooms, dressed, with teeth and hair brushed, Liam made sure to keep himself on the opposite side of the room as Zayn, afraid to slip up. The air was charged, making the kids quiet. They could feel something in the air, something decidedly _off_ , but apart from a few mildly uncomfortable glances, they didn’t comment. Liam wasn’t sure if he was appreciative for that.

Between the kids’ sleepiness and the general tension in the air, there wasn’t much conversation around the breakfast table that morning. Liam nearly jumped out of his chair when Zayn’s foot brushed against his in an attempt at comfort. Liam had tried to play it off by reaching for another slice of toast, but as his hand moved over the table, he had to pull it back to hide the shakiness of the appendage. He let out a stuttered breath in an attempt to calm himself. It didn’t work.

After a whispered conversation this morning, they’d agreed to wait until dinner was finished that night to tell the kids. Liam wasn’t sure he’d make it through breakfast, let alone the whole day, without his nerves getting the better of him.

A still-quiet Elijah slipped into the backseat of Liam’s car about twenty minutes later. Liam stuttered his way through some mindless conversation, trying to cheer the boy up. He’d been a bit more open and happier since the nightmare when he and Zayn had cuddled him back to sleep. Liam hated that he was partly responsible for the boy’s uneasiness.

It wasn’t until Liam pulled up to Elijah’s school that he truly understood how affected the boy was by the atmosphere. He’d pulled his lip between his teeth a few minutes ago, nervous in a way Liam could read easily on his face. He switched the car into park, but made no other move, allowing the boy some time.

“C’n I ‘ave a hug?” Elijah mumbled. Liam’s breath _wooshed_ out of him. He made eye contact with the boy in his backseat, nodding easily before they both climbed out. Liam wrapped his arms around Elijah and pressed his lips into his hair. They stood there for at least two minutes, clinging to each other without really understanding why, but it helped Liam breathe a little easier. Elijah almost instantly relaxed, feeling a bit of the tension melt out of Liam just as the school bell rang.

“Have a good day, love,” Liam mumbled into dark hair. “Love you.”

Elijah took a couple steps towards the school before darting back for another, quick hug that Liam returned without hesitation. When Elijah’s backpack disappeared behind the doors, Liam climbed back into his car and drove to class. He didn’t care that he was a few minutes late.

Leg bouncing through his entire second class, Liam entertained the idea of begging off the announcement and hiding out in his own flat. He rolled his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger while the thought rattled around in his head. Immediately feeling guilty, he thumbed out a message to Zayn.

**nervous**

It was short and simple, but exactly how he was feeling. Now that he thinks about it, _terrified_ would’ve been a better word to use, or maybe even _nauseous_ , but Liam knew Zayn could read him well enough to understand what he meant, even over texts. The reply was quick considering Liam knew Zayn was teaching.

**Me too, but they love you. We’ll be alright xx**

It didn’t really help the rapid, staccato rhythm of Liam’s heart, but knowing Zayn was feeling at least a bit of what he was made him feel a bit more at ease.

A day away from the tension at home seemed to have done Elijah some good. When he climbed back into Liam’s car at the end of the day, hair wild and pants grass-stained from an errant game of footie, his chatter filled the space between them. He went on and on about a science experiment they’d done that day that involved bubbles and butane that Elijah said left a burn mark on the ceiling. (Later, when he’s be able to actively take in information, Liam will have to ask what bubbles and gas have to do with fire.) Until then, though, Liam was fine with listening to the plans Elijah made with his friends to skateboard after homework and a snack.

As any typical weekday went, Elijah and Liam are already set up at the table doing homework and studying, respectively, when Stella and Zayn got home. Stella settled into Liam’s lap for a cuddle as he continued his work with one hand, her weight comforting. He pressed kisses into her forehead absently until he felt Zayn’s presence behind him, hovering just outside the kitchen.

“Want some juice?” Liam asked the table. He got a quiet ‘no’ from Elijah, but an excited ‘apple juice, please’ from Stella, so he slid her off his lap and padded into the kitchen. He went about pouring a small cup of juice and delivering it to the thankful girl before rejoining Zayn in the kitchen.

Liam settled his hands onto Zayn’s shoulders, feeling the tension there immediately. He squeezed once before dropping his arms to slide around the smaller man’s waist. He pulled the familiar body into his chest. Liam hooked his chin over a thin shoulder to rub his nose against the fading ‘Yaser’ behind Zayn’s ear. Zayn practically melted into him, a quiet sigh that puffed against Liam’s neck the only sound. Liam’s eyes started burning with imminent tears, a day full of frustrated-nervousness overwhelming him all at once. He blinked quickly and squeezed his eyes to clear them.

“I love you,” Liam choked out, voice rough and throat tight from how hard he was trying to stifle his emotions. He didn’t do a very good job at it, Zayn instantly raised his head to get a look at him. The simple eye contact from Zayn pushed more tears out, blurring his vision. His gaze locked onto the ceiling, wishing them away quickly. Even with the moisture in his eyes, Liam’s traitorous body decided to blink, and it sent a tear slicing down his cheek.

Zayn’s brows furrowed worriedly, hands coming up to cup Liam’s cheeks. He made quick work of drying the single tear-track without comment. Liam couldn’t help but lock eyes with Zayn. He breathed in shakily before pressing his forehead to Zayn’s.

“I love you, too.” The words, whispered on an exhale, ghosted over Liam’s lips. He instinctively licked them just before Zayn pressed their mouths together, lips moving against each other with the ease of familiarity.

Another tear left a wet trail on Liam’s other cheek, but just like before, Zayn didn’t comment, just kissed both cheeks until they were wet from Zayn’s lips instead of Liam’s tears.

As the credits rolled on their just-before-bed movie, Zayn softly called the kids to sit back down as they moved to brush their teeth. They paused, their nightly ritual broken, but sat down easily on the couch half a meter apart. Liam and Zayn had moved to eject the movie and clean up the bowl of popcorn. They settled back on the carpet, cross-legged in front of the couch, when they were finished.

“Liam and I have something important we want to tell you,” Zayn started. He kept his voice light, but Liam saw Elijah’s face flicker with something that looked like fear.

“Nothing bad,” Liam said, eyes meeting Elijah’s. The boy nodded minutely, and he leaned back against the couch, but didn’t relax.

“Liam and I,” Zayn started, trailing off uncertainly. “Liam and I like each other a lot.”

“Your baba and I are dating.” Liam took Zayn’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together. “We are together, and we wanted to tell you both.”

Liam watched Elijah sit forward, eyebrows furrowed together that made him look achingly like his father, with his elbows on his thighs and his chin on his hands.

“Does this mean you’re gonna be our baba, too?” He asked. Liam couldn’t read him, an emotionless look on his face except the scrunched eyebrows he made when he asked a question.

“Nothing is going to change right now,” Liam said carefully. “I’m still Liam. Just Liam.” Elijah nodded, but relaxed, letting Liam relax, too. But there was still another person in the room who had been uncharacteristically quiet. All eyes moved to Stella.

“Does this mean…” She paused, like she was trying to think of a word. Her head cocked in concentration. “Does this mean you and baba are gonna _kiss_?” She giggled, and just like that the tension was broken. Zayn and Liam both took their seemingly first deep breath of the day while Elijah stifled his chuckles behind a hand, and Stella’s giggles rose in volume to bounce lightly off the walls in the room.

Liam and Zayn made eye contact during their breathless laughter, and Zayn ever so slightly nodded towards Stella with his head. As if they were one, they both jumped up from the floor and simultaneously began pressing kisses into Stella’s skin. Her laughter grew until it echoed in the silence of the house. Not wanting Elijah to be left out, Zayn hauled his son closer, pressing a calmer kiss to his hair when he collapsed easily against Zayn’s chest.

After their breathing had evened out, the kids were sent to bed with a promise of a goodnight when they were settled.

Zayn collapsed into bed next to Liam with a grin on his face. Liam army-crawled up the bed to tangle a hand in Zayn’s hair and kiss him, pulling back only when they lost their breath. The blinding smile Zayn sent Liam was enough to get him to duck back down and kiss him again, but it didn’t last long before they were simply grinning against each other.

“I spent all day worried sick, and that was so _easy_ ,” Liam huffed against Zayn’s mouth. He could feel and hear the rumble of Zayn’s laughter from where their chests were pressed together.

“Couldn’t’ve imagined it going any better,” Zayn agreed softly. His thumb smoothed over Liam’s eyebrow with a soft sigh. Liam felt cool fingers curl behind his skull and, with a gentle but insistent press, guide him down to slot his lips against Zayn’s again for a real kiss that quickly had his mind shifting from the kids.

Liam felt a tugging at his waistband, and he moved with it until he was settled between Zayn’s thighs, elbows on either side of Zayn’s head. Zayn’s hands moved to Liam’s back, pressing him down so they were flush together. As their hips met, Liam became aware of Zayn’s half-hard cock pulsing against his thigh. With a quiet but strained exhale, Zayn pushed his hips up into Liam’s. The feeling of Zayn and the pressure had arousal swirling in Liam’s groin, dick taking interest immediately.

Liam rolled his hips down, pulling away intermittently to tease and draw it out a bit more. The friction combined with the rollercoaster of feelings from the day had Liam’s thighs trembling after only a few minutes.

“Fuck,” Liam breathed out the curse as their dicks pushed against each other through the layers of clothing, both fully hard and aching for more. He felt Zayn’s thumbs curl under the waistband of his shorts, and he paused long enough for Zayn to slide them down, boxers following seconds later. Liam had to pull away to shuffle himself out of the clothes fully, pulling his shirt over his head while he was thinking about it.

Immediately after, Liam ran his palms up Zayn’s side, pushing the material of his shirt higher until he got the picture. The shirt, Liam easily recognised it as one of his, hit the ground softly, and Zayn’s own shorts and boxers followed quickly, leaving them both fully naked.

“So pretty, Z,” Liam murmured. His hands wandered over slightly-darker skin. Zayn let it continue for a few minutes until the throbbing in his cock got to be too much.

“C’mon, _Leeyum_.” Zayn moaned, arching up sinfully. Liam had to take a deep breath after hearing his name come out of Zayn’s mouth like that. He stretched an arm to the bedside table easily to grab lube and a condom, fingers already coated by the time he settled back between Zayn’s legs. He pushed against the wolf inked into Zayn’s shin, coaxing his legs further apart.

He wiggled a slick finger into Zayn easily, hearing the contented exhale as he began an even rhythm with the single digit. Zayn relaxed easily, allowing Liam to add another finger after a few thrusts. Knowing his body, Liam curled his finger against that spot after allowing Zayn a few moments to adjust. The quiet moan that answered had Liam’s cock twitching where it was pressed into the sheets.

A few firm presses directly to Zayn’s prostate had his thighs trembling on either side of Liam. He couldn’t help but press his smirk into the skin of Zayn’s inner thigh, a bit rougher with the next few thrusts. A choked moan, like Zayn hadn’t meant to let it slip out, cut through his previously soft sighs and gentle whines.

“If you keep doing that, ‘m gonna come before you get your dick in me,” Zayn groaned. His hand twitched in the direction of his cock, flushed and leaking against his belly, before he seemed to think better. Both his hands fisted in the sheets beside his hips instead, knuckles going white.

Without warning, Liam tucked a third finger against the other two on his next press in, making Zayn whine against the stretch, but push down when Liam slowed his pace. Liam could hear his harsh breathing, almost panting, and took pity on him, pushing in fully before wriggling his fingers to stretch the muscle out. Liam allowed a single press to the nub that had Zayn’s abs jumping from the pleasure. A harsh inhale that seemed to catch in his throat sounded loud in the otherwise quiet room.

Without taking his fingers from Zayn, Liam awkwardly opened the condom and rolled it on. He wrapped a lube-covered hand around himself, pumping firmly before he finally removed his fingers. Zayn hardly had a chance to whine at the loss before the head of Liam’s cock was pressing against Zayn, his body letting him in with hardly any resistance.

One long, slow thrust later, Liam was buried fully in Zayn and capturing his lips to distract him from the stretch that no amount of fingering could prep him for. Hardly a second after Liam felt the tight pressure of Zayn’s hole ease, he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, pulling out and pressing back in with a firm rhythm that had Zayn sighing.

Liam kept the same long, easy pace for a few minutes before he shifted his hips to search for that place that caused Zayn to clench unconsciously around Liam. It only took three more thrusts to find it, and he didn’t let up once he did, picking up his pace a bit to press against Zayn’s prostate and send him hurtling closer to orgasm.

Liam could read Zayn’s body well enough by now, noting the scrabbling hands, fluttering hole, and soft whines that told him that it wouldn’t be long. Just as Zayn’s hand jolted to his previously untouched cock, Liam’s hand curled around it. Zayn moaned loudly enough that Liam pressed their mouths together to stifle any other noises he couldn’t control.

“Close, Z, c’mon, love. Wanna see you come with me, yeah?” Liam panted against Zayn’s mouth, wet from Liam’s open-mouthed kisses. Zayn’s nose bumped his as he nodded frantically. Liam could feel Zayn beginning to clench, could see his eyebrows drawing closer together, and that was it. His hips fucked into Zayn at a brutal pace. It was only another minute, with Liam’s hand flying over Zayn’s cock to match his pace, before Zayn fully tensed, come spurting in time with the pulsing of his hole. Liam eased his grip, but kept the same speed with his hips, lasting only a handful of seconds before he, too, was coming with a low groan that he muffled in the skin of Zayn’s sweaty neck.

His hips continued rocking for a few more moments, milking every last second of orgasm, then stilled after the last twitch. He didn’t move for a few moments. Zayn’s heartbeat had begun to slow, and Liam breathed in deeply to get it under control a bit before gripping the base of the condom and pulling out slowly. He tied it quickly and placed it in the trashcan next to the bed, falling into his boyfriend’s outstretched arms.

He allowed himself a few moments until his heartbeat matched Zayn’s, now calm and even, before he pushed himself to his feet to grab something to clean off Zayn’s belly. After a few quick swipes with the too-cold flannel that Zayn grumbled about, Liam rinsed it off, hung it up to dry, and climbed into bed again.

He made an embarrassingly whiny noise when Zayn moved out of his arms. Liam cracked open an eye to watch the muscles in Zayn’s back work as he pulled on a pair of boxers before standing.

“Just gonna check on the kids.” He mumbled with a soft press of lips to Liam’s forehead. Liam wasn’t aware of when Stella and Elijah shifted from _Zayn’s_ kids to _the_ kids, but it made Liam’s stomach flutter, knowing that the next change would be _their_ kids. Liam felt an odd calm wash over him with that thought, not at all scared of calling those kids his. His and Zayn’s.

With that thought knocking around his brain, he was tempted to follow Zayn, but he could already hear the returning footsteps. Zayn settled into bed easily, curling against Liam’s side.

“Fast asleep,” Zayn relayed without prompting. He knew Liam would ask. Liam kissed Zayn’s temple once before they settled down fully, eyes heavy. Zayn’s breathing evened out before Liam’s, but he followed almost immediately after whispering his love into the silent room. He didn’t need a response.

***

A week before the kids were out for the holidays, it was blisteringly cold outside. Elijah had been out in the snow all day, while Stella had ducked in with sensitive skin and a pink nose after only an hour or so. Elijah had slowly been showing signs of his acceptance of Stella. He no longer exited the room when she joined in whatever he was doing, but he hadn’t joined in with her upon request, and hadn’t extended any interest in requesting she play with him.

However, the first time that Stella had settled down next to where Elijah had been staking Lego bricks and he hadn’t left the room, she had a beaming grin on her face until she went to bed. Liam was so proud of Elijah, and he hoped desperately that the boy’s guilt would fully ease one day.

Liam was sitting on the back porch, under a thick blanket, with a steaming cup of tea. The sky was a pale grey, warning of an impending snowfall. A vaguely human-shaped form shuffled closer to Liam. He stifled a chuckle, thinking Zayn _may_ have gone a bit overboard on the layers he dressed his son in before allowing him to dart out into the cold.

Elijah plopped down next to Liam. They sat quietly until the first few flakes of snow began to fall, dancing to the ground in the slight wind. Liam’s toes had gone numb almost twenty minutes ago, but he’d been having such a fun time watching Elijah build a snowman, a snow fort, and even attempt an igloo to notice the feeling.

“Where’d you learn how to make an igloo?” Liam asked.

“I saw a program the other day about it, but the snow was too melted. I had to wait for it to be fresh again. I might try again if there’s enough snow tomorrow.”

“I think that sounds like a great idea. Do you know what you’ll change when you try again?”

“Hmmm,” Elijah thought for a second, and Liam could see it on his face. When he’d worked through the problem, his eyes lit up. “I definitely need a stronger base. And I think the ground isn’t really flat, so I have to find a better place. I need more hands, though. Want to help tomorrow?”

“I will, but I know someone else who might want to help, too.” It was a poor attempt at subtle, but Liam knew he understood.

“Stella can come help if she wants.” The boy shrugged. Liam knew he’d let her help, but he wouldn’t _invite_ her. Liam let him be, though, tugging the frozen boy closer.

“We should get you inside before _you_ become a snowman.” They both laughed, trudging to the door. Elijah pulled off his outermost layer and boots to leave outside before they were hit by a wave of warmth from the door Liam opened.

“Can we watch a movie?” Elijah asked.

“Sure. Go pick one out. Want some hot chocolate?” The boy nodded eagerly. Liam didn’t even need to ask Stella, knowing that the second she saw her brother with one, she’d make those puppy eyes until Liam made another.

Walking into the room with two steaming cups, Liam noticed the lack of other people. He frowned.

“Where’s Baba and Stella?”

“They were going to take a nap earlier,” Elijah said. Liam nodded and set up the DVD. He walked down the hall to Zayn’s room, pausing in the doorway to find two shapes curled under the duvet. He could easily differentiate between the two identically-coloured heads after months of practically living there. Liam wouldn’t hesitate to move in, but he was waiting for Zayn to bring it up, and his apartment’s lease to expire.

Liam shuffled up to the bed quietly to run a hand through Zayn’s soft hair. Even though he knew his boyfriend would complain about him messing it up, Liam scratched at his scalp softly as Zayn shifted. His eyes popped open, settling blearily on Liam.

“Hey, love,” Liam whispered. “Eli and I were gonna pop in a movie. It’s getting late; you both should wake up so you can sleep later.”

Zayn nodded and puckered his lips. It was a silent question that always yielded the same response.

Liam leaned forward to easily slot his mouth against Zayn’s, humming. He pressed a short kiss to his nose and forehead before he pressed a kiss to the other head of messy hair. Stella giggled. Liam smiled, knowing she’d probably been awake since Zayn shifted.

“You and baba were _kissing_ ,” She giggled, voice heavy with sleep despite her bright eyes. Liam loved her eyes. And Elijah’s. And Zayn’s. But they were all identical. Not for the first time, Liam wondered what their mother looked like, wondered what they got from _her_.

“We’re gonna watch a movie. Sound good?” Liam asked. Stella’s head nodded quickly, and she was out of the bed even quicker, feet pattering down the hall and so far from sleep. He shifted his gaze back to Zayn, who was still looking up at him fondly.

“C’mon, babe,” Liam couldn’t help but whisper. The feeling in the room wasn’t heated, but it was still intimate. “Grab an extra blanket and come cuddle with me on the couch. I’m still a bit chilled from outside.” He kissed Zayn one last night, lingering slightly. When Zayn began to move his mouth against Liam’s with more awareness, he started pulling back. Zayn huffed when he was forced to either move or end the kiss, but he easily decided and chased Liam’s lips. After one last chaste press of lips, Liam stood up and beckoned Zayn before he joined the two kids in the other room.

It wasn’t long before Zayn’s feet were padding closer, revealing a blanket-wrapped man that Liam loved so much. He looked young wrapped up in the fluffy cocoon, nothing like a father of an almost-twelve-year-old. He settled against Liam’s side after laying the blanket over both of them. Stella claimed a place in Liam’s lap, leaning back against his chest as Elijah pressed play.

The movie did little to keep their attention. Stella had been playing with Liam’s hands, tracing the tattoos there and up his arm for nearly twenty minutes, while Zayn was looking close to sleep against Liam’s side. After a sigh from Elijah, who shifted for a third time in the chair he curled up in, Stella climbed off Liam’s lap.

“Eli?” Upon hearing Stella’s voice, Liam noticed the way he tensed for a split-second before meeting his sister’s eyes with a hum. “Do you wanna paint with me?”

A few second stretched between them, and Liam felt Zayn’s body shift ever so slightly, telling Liam he was waiting for the reply just as much as Stella was.

“Sure.”

Zayn’s body slumped, shocking Liam. He hadn’t noticed hos tense Zayn had gotten. Thinking about it now, Liam was also a bit tense, and he forced himself to relax as Stella squealed and darted from the room before her brother could take it back.

After a quick glance to Zayn, who had an overwhelmingly proud look on his face, Liam’s eyes darted back to Elijah, who meet their eyes hesitantly.

“Proud of you, Eli,” Zayn whispered. The boy’s body both relaxed and perked up at that, and he smiled.

“Just start small, yeah?” Elijah said softly, nerves evident on his face. Zayn nodded.

***

**> >> Six months later <<<**

“If you’re not in the car in five minutes, I’m _leaving without you_!” Liam called into the house. He had a bag of towels and sunscreen on a shoulder and sunglasses perched on his head. He’d been dressed and ready to go for fifteen minutes, waiting for everyone to trickle out and to the car.

“So bossy, love.” His boyfriend’s voice startled him, but it eased when an arm slipped around his waist. A pair of familiar, warm lips met the back of his neck, and he shivered.

“I want to go to the pool,” Liam whined petulantly. “It’s such a nice day.”

“I know, I know. They’re just getting their shoes.” Zayn chuckled. “Gives us time to –” He pressed his lips to Liam’s and drug the kiss out, slow and languid, until the sound of feet had them backing up to a respectable cuddle.

“Ready?” Zayn asked the kids. They both nodded, and the group made their way to Liam’s car.

Once the adults settled into chairs and both kids had on a healthy (maybe even a bit unnecessarily thick) layer of sunscreen, they scattered. Elijah’s shirt was pulled off, confident in the healed and faded scar on his torso, and Stella’s shoes were kicked haphazardly off her feet before they were both hooping and hollering as they galloped to the pool. A shrill whistle a second later told Liam they had been moving a bit fast, but he didn’t have the heart to scold them. They were excited.

About thirty minutes later, once Liam had felt like he was sufficiently sun-kissed, he prodded his drowsing boyfriend.

“Come swim with us, babe,” Liam coaxed.

“Later, yeah?”

“You know the kids will be dragging in forty-five minutes. I want to swim while we still have time so we can lay in the sun after,” Liam said. “Please?”

Zayn sighed, something that was common, but this one held more anxiety and nerves than others. He fiddled with the drawstring of his bathing suit and Liam caught his hand.

“I can’t swim,” Zayn mumbled. Liam let that sink in, a bit surprised.

“We’ll stay in the shallow end, then?” Liam said easily. He squeezed Zayn’s hand, smiling when he got a tentative nod, and pulled him up.

With a firm grip on his hand, Liam pulled Zayn until the water lapped at their chests. He settled Zayn into his arms, letting the gentle movements of the water rock them. Zayn hadn’t dropped the grip on Liam, so they swayed close when Liam ducked his head to kiss him easily.

Later, when they were back in their chairs, Zayn broke the silence. Liam had thought he’d fallen asleep, eyes slipping closed to follow him.

“This was a good idea, Li,” Zayn said, splayed out in a lounge chair beside Liam. Now awake, Liam’s gaze flitted around the area before landing on two familiar shapes. He couldn’t take his eyes off the kids, enjoying the easy way they played together. In the almost-year he’d known this family, Elijah had shown the most change and growth. Not only had he shot up at least a few centimeters, he was much more at ease with himself and his relationship with his sister.

The first time he’d gone to say goodnight to Elijah and found his bed empty, an uncomfortable weight had dropped into his stomach until he found the boy curled up on the bottom bunk in Stella’s room, sound asleep. Now, at least once a week, the two would play so far into the night that the boy would be too exhausted to even walk down the hall to his own bed. Not that Stella had ever complained. Liam could tell she loved having Elijah as a playmate.

After a quiet call from Zayn, Liam had gone back to their (yes, _their_ ) room to cuddle into Zayn, describing the adorable picture he saw. Zayn’s grin answered him, knowing it had been a year since they’d shared a room.

Nearly eight months into their relationship, Zayn had decided to tell Liam the _whole_ story. He described the day and how excited the kids had been to be out of school finally, and how they played nearly all day together, inside or out. He told Liam about the _hand sanitizer_ and the _lighter_ that had caused everything to blow up in their faces, literally.

Liam knew that, after that day in late May, Elijah changed. He was increasingly distant, and totally indifferent towards Stella, and sometimes even Zayn. Where they’d previously shared a room, that changed after that day, along with everything else.

“But,” Zayn had said. “It’s like you knew Eli needed you, and you were there for him. I couldn’t begin to tell you how much you’ve helped me and the kids. I love you so much.” And Liam was man enough to admit his eyes got a bit damp. While he’d argue that anyone would’ve done the same thing, he also remembered that the other counsellors at camp had been satisfied to write Elijah off as a troublemaking boy that like to fight. Liam had been the one to sit down and comfort the boy, during and after camp. Their bond was unbreakable. It was only fitting that Liam got along so well with his father.

A few months before that story was told, though, on Christmas morning specifically, Zayn handed him a small present. Liam’s heart jumped into his throat, recognising the size of the box in his hand. As much as he loved Zayn and these kids, and as much as he knew he and Zayn would be together forever, he wasn’t totally ready for the idea of marriage yet. Thankfully, he and Zayn were on the same page.

“Li, calm down,” Zayn cackled at the look on his boyfriend’s face. “It’s not a ring.” Liam heaved a sigh of relief, furrowing his eyebrows when he took in the small box again. _So, what was in it?_

He tore the paper off easily before he did, indeed, find a small jewelry-like box. He slid the lid off slowly and gasped.

It was a key. Zayn gave him a key. It was one that Liam recognised easily, having had one attached to his keychain for months, but this moment had a decidedly more intense feeling to it.

“Li, Stella, Eli, and I want to know if you want to make this arrangement a little more permanent?” Stella nodded like she was the one being asked. “Liam, will you move in with us?”

“Of _course_ , I will!” Liam easily gathered them all in a hug, pressing kisses to all the places he could find, an extra one pressed to Zayn’s mouth in between giggles from the kids.

That night, when Liam had pressed into Zayn’s willing body, he hissed in his hear, “That was so fucking cheesy, babe.”

“Yes, but you loved it.” Came the equally-as-quiet reply.

“I did, and I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

Fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So sorry about the long wait. I was super stuck hos to end it, and I'm not totally satisfied with how I wrote it. Let me know if it confusing with the flashbacks at all!  
> The character of Stella is almost fully taken from a wonderful little girl that I met at camp four years ago. Nearly every aspect (save for some details like looks) comes from this wonderful child I've been to watch grow up. I love her with all my heart, and COVID had nearly all summer camps across America closed down, so I was unable to see her this year. It broke my heart, and I miss her so much.  
> Let me know if you're interested in Stella's backstory, details of her accident, or anything! Leave a comment and tell me what you thought about it.  
> And you can follow me on Twitter @mmmm_kat  
> Thanks for reading!  
> ~Kat


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